Finding Hope In Sadness
by MorbidSonata
Summary: with one brother ill and the the other just plain rude, distant friends, unfair professors, and embarrassing disaster one after the other, where can a girl turn to these days? Things just might be a little harder than Lily expected... RATED T for now
1. A Meeting on the Train

**A/n: sadly, i do not own any of rowlings characters, *weeps profusely* but i hope you enjoy this story anyway. **

"Mom, I'm going to miss the train. C,mon, you can hug me all you want over Christmas break. Seriously." Lily Jr. pushed her mother away.

"Oh, I get it. Teenagers don't like to be hugged, huh?" said Lily's mother teasingly, "so now I'm embarrassing you?"

"How did you know?" said Lily, laughing. "Hey James, wait up!"Her mother watched her run afrter her brother sadly.

**James POV**

"Hey, James, wait up!" I groaned. The last thing I wanted to do was spend the train ride to Hogwarts with my baby sister. She was only a third year for crying out loud! I mean, she was great at pranks, and really popular. That was why we had made her a honorary member of the Rouges, which was my friends and me. We were and are the golden group at the school. Me (James Sirius), Bones (Carol Bones), Kevin Finnagan, and Scott still, she was only thirteen, _and_ my sister. There was no way she was sitting in our compartment! I mean Al was one thing, but.. _no _ I told myself, _ don't think about it._

**(a/n: just in case you were wondering I didn't put any Longbottoms or Lovegoods because it didn't seem thay would have any kids for Neville, and if Luna had kids they would have a different last name. Anyway back to the story)**

I hurried, trying to get away from lily. "Hey, guys what's up?" I said to Bones and Scott. "I was asking Scott why he thinks Scorpius Malfoy has been watching us since we arrived at the train station."Scott laughed , "maybe he has a crush on Bones."

"EWWWWW! Gross, oh ew, ew, ew." Bones made a face. "Hi, Jamie!" said Lily, coming up behind me. "Can I sit with you guys on the train?" she asked. I sighed. "Lily…."

"Well, fine then." She looked miffed, "I can see where this is going. I'll go away then." She jumped on the train, which was pulling away from the station. "OH, SH-T!" cried Bones. "hurry, run!'

We _just _managed to jump on the train. "Whew." I said. "That was close. Let's go find a compartment." Just then, I saw Kevin waving at us from a door. "hey, I saved you guys a compartment. I was starting to think maybe you guys missed the the train." He said.

**Lily POV**

How dare he! He practically threw me out of the group! That prat! I was just as good of friends with them as he was. _well who cares what he thinks_ i thought bitterly._ I've got my own friends to sit with._

_"_hell-o? message to lilyland?"

"huh?" _ oh real eloquent _I thought. "You were gazing off into space again." giggled my best friend, Atlanta. "Oh," I said blushing," Well, i was just thinking...maybe I'll go find an empty compartment to think in for a while." My friend slooked hurt. "I'll come back when I feel better," I explained, "I just need to be alone for a while." My friends, especially Linna, looked mutinous as I gathered up my notebook and fled the compartment.

My note book was really important to me. It's where I write poems and stuff when I'm upset. But I wasn't unhappy, not really. Okay, I was totally unhappy. My brother Al, who understood me best, had fallen ill and was unable to return to school. I didn't see how anything could be the same now. I sighed as I sat down in the last empty compartment. Then i heard a slight cough.

I turned. "Oh" I gasped shocked. Well I _thought_ the compartment had been empty. "_What,_" snapped an irate Scorpius Malfoy, "do you _want_?"

I couldn"t help it. I snapped back. "I _want,_ to be alone. I didn't see you, and I _thought _this compartment was empty. So excuse me while I _leave_." I said glaring.

He raised an eyebrow at me. "Well," he said, "If I'm that easy to not see, you can stay in here anyway. That is as long as you don't bother me." I sat down by the window and watched the fields go by. thinking about how everything had to be so difficult. Thinking about-

"Okay" said malfoy, "_what_ is your problem?"

"huh?" _there it is again_ i thought wryly _the ever present "huh". _I stared at him for a second before recovering my wits. "What happened to not bothering each other?" I said coolly. "The look on your face is bothering me. you look like someone died for crying out loud." he said."no one died" I snapped."_yet_."

"What do you mean, yet?" oh crap, he heard that last part? What was I supposed to say now? "Nothing" i muttered' turning red. He continued to stare at me. "What?"

"I wont tell anyone. Are you going to tell me, because I _know _something is wrong, or are you going to not tell me, and let it drive me crazy?" he said. I stared at him. Why should he care what I was feeling? he was a Malfoy, for crying out loud. A slytherin. But now that I thought about it, he never talked to the other Slytherins, as far as I'd seen. In fact he never talked to _anybody_. "Well," I said nervously, "It's my brother Albus. He's ill."

He looked at me skeptically. "that's not all it is, is it."

"No" I gulped. "But he was so ill, he couldn't even come back to school!" I rushed on, it all coming out now. "I'm worried sick, my parents are losing sleep over him, and meanwhile my brother James is acting like everythings fine! which its not! And he wont even talk to me any more! He just ignores me!" tears were welling up in my eyes now. "And I can't talk to anyone about it, because my parents are worried enough, and my friends wouldn't understand!"

"I heard about that." he said. "Well, about your brother being ill. I'm not much of a people person, but I always liked him. and I'm sorry. really." he smiled, and I realized that was the first time I had ever seen him smile. Usually he was aloof and distant. "And as for not being able to talking to anyone about it, well your talking to me, aren't you?"

I gave him a weak smile. "Maybe," he contiued, "pretending that everything is fine is your brother's way of dealing with grief. Maybe he thinks everything _will be _fine if he pretends it's not happening. Does that make you feel better?"

"Yeah. But why are you being so _nice?_" I asked.

He raised an aloof eyebrow at me. "Fine," he said. "I won't be nice" I looked out the window. when had it gotten so dark? I sprang up. "I have to go. My friends will be wondering where I am." With that, I hurrried out of the compartment.

When I got back, Atlanta, Linna, and Emily stood up. "What?" I asked sheepishly. Atlanta raised her eyebrows at me. "You were gone for two hours. We are almost to hogwarts. You've never skulked alone for that long, never. What's wrong? You can tell us." I sighed. "Attie, a lot of things are wrong right now. But I feel much better than I did before. I'm dealing with it." and it was true. Talking to Scorpius had really made me feel better. _wait a minute. _i thought. _Since when is he scorpius instead of malfoy_?

"But you can tell us what's wrong, and we can help you deal with it better." said Emily."Look, you guys, its my burden, not yours." I said."Come on, we half to change into our robes before we get there."

"So," said Linna,over the creaking of the school carriage we were in, "When are you going to tell us what you wrote this time?"

"Wrote?" I said blankly.

"You know." she pressed on eagerly. "In your notebook." I frowned at her. "You know I dont let you see what's in-" I gasped. "My notebook! It's gone!"

"What do you mean gone?" said Emily.

"gone, as in _gone_! I must have left it on the train!" I wailed. Just then, the carraige shuddered to a stop. "we're here!" cried Linna as she jumped out of the carriage."You can ask one of the staff about your no-" But she stopped, her mouth agape. Standing in front of the four of us was Scorpius he was holding-"My notebook!" I cried."Yes." he said in his aloof voice. "I found it in one of the compartments I passed it's yours is it?" He gave me a look, and I understood. _He_ didnt want anyone to know we had talked either.

"Yes." I said, stiffly. "Here." he said, thrusting it at me. "Is all your handwriting that messy?" I stared at him and relief turned to outrage as i realized- "You READ my notebook! I don't BELIEVE you!" I cried, and stomped off toward the castle, my friends hurrying after me. Vaugely, I thought I heard him laughing.


	2. An Eavesdropper

**Disclaimer: I Don't own the harry potter characters. **

**It's nice to look back and see how terrible my writing was a year ago. Anyway, here is the updated chapter.**

"Lily, what's wrong? You aren't eating." said Atlanta as I picked at my chicken. "Normally your stuffing your face at the feast. Though, it's nice to see you eating less. If you kept going the way you did before you'd get fat."

"Thanks Attie." I said dryly.

I realized all my friend were still staring at me. "Oh, I just have a... stomachache." I said, squirming in my seat. Since when were my friends so bloody observant, anyway? "Hey," I said, trying to change the subject. "Cardoc Boot is staring at you again." she whipped her head around. "He is?" she asked.

Lissa and Emily giggled. "Why do you always act so surprised?" they asked. "You're the best looking girl at Hogwarts." Emily added.

I snorted. "What?" cried Emily. "You _don't _think she's the best looking?"

" I think," I stated, "that you three are tied in that respect." They looked at me disbelievingly. I pressed on. " You are. I mean, you are equally gorgeous. You just have different _types_ of beauty."

"Oh?" said Lissa, looking flattered.

I had meant it though, and a bitter thought sprang up in my mind. _Why do my best friends have to be so pretty? Why doesn't anyone seem interested in me? Because I'm always surrounded by bloody perfect looking girls, so who _would _notice a plain, uninteresting thing like me._ It was, when I looked at my friends, easy to admire them.

Lissa was tall and regal, with chocolate-colored skin, long, shiny, dark curls, and golden eyes that always seemed to be appraising you. Emily was petite, a mysterious looking girl with pale skin, long, straight black hair, big black eyes, and playful smile, like she knew something you didn't. Atlanta was tall, thin, with long wavy blond hair and big blue eyes with thick lashes. The perfect blond bombshell, I guess.

Next to them, I was ordinary, with plain brown eyes and hair that made me look like my head was on fire. I sighed.

Atlanta seemed to know what was wrong. "Oh don't worry Lils, your still nice looking. I mean, at least you're not hideous."

"We look _much _older than thirteen, so it's really not fair to compare yourself to us." said Lissa confidently.

"Thanks." I said, not really feeling better. "But, earlier, I was..."

"What?" inquired Emily.

"I just can't believe that prat read my notebook! And made fun of it! How can that git just go around mocking everyone he sees! I mean-"

"Lily."

"Whaat?"

"It's just... don't you think you're overreacting?" said Atlanta hesitantly.

"Attie!" I cried, shocked. "You know how much of a big deal this is! I don't even show you my notebook, and your my best mates! He might as well have read my diary!"

"Well," said Lissa reasonably, "Malfoy won't be able to that, unless you just hand it to him. You can be rather absentminded that way."

"Oh don't be so mean." said Emily. Lissa looked at her in exasperation. "And how was that being mean? I was just stating a fact." They all laughed.

"Let's just forget about it. And talk about something more interesting." said Attie. "Like that bloke that likes me."

"Just relax, Lil." said Emily."Have some pudding." she gestured to the table offhandedly, and the desserts appeared. "How do you do that, Em?" I asked. She just laughed.

**Scorpius POV**

Her mates were talking and laughing and she was just sitting there. _Why didn't she join their conversation? _I thought _Why didn't they notice? _Finally one of them, the blond, turned to her and said something and then they all looked at her. She looked unhappy for a moment, then said something and gestured over to the Ravenclaw table. They looked around and the other three started talking and giggling. _Oh _I realized, _They're talking about blokes. _

She had gestured to the Ravenclaw table. Did that mean she fancied some Ravenclaw bloke? My stomach squirmed uncomfortably. _Wait a minute_, I thought _Why do I care? Why was I watching her? _

I didn't, of course. She was sweet, true, but she was a Potter. And father didn't like the Potters much.

I was turning back to my food when I caught a bit of thier conversation

"- read my notebook-" I froze, then ever so subtly, turned my head to hear the conversation better. I could still only hear snippets.

_"-big deal out of nothing-"_

_"-don't even show you-"_

_"-so absentminded-"_

_"-not being mean-"_

Then they laughed, and she looked disgruntled and upset. I turned back to my food again, brooding. _Was it that big of a deal that I read those poems? Would she talk to me again? Should I apologize? should I not? Why did it matter to me, anyway? She's just a stupid Potter._

"Ahem." I looked over. Zabini batted her eyes at me. "Are you okay, Scorpius? You're awfully quiet. Do you need anything?"

"Hm? Oh, I'm fine, thanks." I went back to looking at the Griffindor table._  
_

But she looked so down when she was with her friends. Why? Shouldn't she be happy?

Lost in my thoughts, I barely noticed when everyone else got up, I just followed them to the common room.

**Lily POV**

"Hey, are you guys up for something risky?" I said, as we walked out of the entrance hall and up to Gryffindor tower. They looked at me warily. "My brother has been a real prat lately." I continued. " I mean he's been shutting me out all the time. So, I was thinking, maybe you would help me get revenge?"

"Revenge?" said Lissa, a slow smile spreading across her face.

"Do tell." said Atlanta, grinning evilly.

"Oh, don't take it to far you three said Em, looking hesitant.

"There's no such as taking it too far." Attie scoffed at her.

"Unless it's James." sighed two of them. I rolled my eyes at the ceiling.

**To Be Continued! Read and REVIEW! Ta!**


	3. A Mess

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Do not sue me because I am broke.**

**Lily POV**

"Wakey, wakey. It's a brand new day, let's get up and face it!"

I groaned into my pillow.

"We've been at this for five minutes." whispered a familiar voice, "How long is it going to take?"

"Longer than usual, apparently."

"Come on. Wake up Lily-flower." said a voice that I blearily recognized as Attie's.

I pulled the blankets over my head.

Attie was growing impatient. "We can do this the easy way or the hard way, Lily, but you _are_ getting out of bed." I groaned again.

There was silence. Had they gone away? I lifted my head to check and-

"AARGH! Atlanta! That was NOT FUNNY!" I was soaked from head to toe in sticky pink liquid. My three friends were rolling on the floor laughing. I was not.

"Do you _know,_" I began, "How difficult it is to get this out of my_ hair_? And you _do_ know that I am not a morning person. So of course, even though I got _next to no sleep last night, you decide TO DOUSE ME IN THE STUFF!"_

"We thought it was funny." said Emily meekly.

"I could tell." There was a silence.

"Well, we-"

"I don't care. whatever it is, I don't care." I stormed out of the room, down the stair case, through the common room and out the portrait hole.

As the red haze in my mind cleared, I realized i was storming through the castle in my dressing-gown, covered in pink goo, and I had thirty-five minutes to apologize to my friends, get dressed, eat, and get to my class. Not enough time there. Hmm...

I turned the corner and- SMACK! Not looking where I was going, I had run into someone and gotten pink goo all over them. Without stopping to see who it was, I hurried off.

I would apologize later, I consoled myself. Now where was I? I looked around and realized I was near the Room of Requirement. I could get ready there!

_I need a place to get ready _I thought. Three paces in front of the wall and I was in! I gasped. There was everything I needed! My clothes, a shower, etc. I reached down for a bottle on the table:

_Soft 'n' Shiny Xtreme Hair Care Potion_it said. _Does unsavory work leave your hair filled with sticky or gritty materials? With just one wash your hair will be cleansed shiny,and full-bodied._

_Perfect!_ I thought.

Twenty minutes later I walked into the Great Hall and sat down next to my friends. They stared at me. " Uh, sorry?" said Atlanta.

"It's fine." I said brightly. "Ooh, Fried eggs and kippers!"

"Are you okay?" said Lissa, "Because this morning you were furious with us, and now you're all rainbows and sunshine."

"Oh I'm fine." I said "I couldn't stay mad at you. You're my best mates!"

"So," I said, changing the subject, "What are today's lessons?"

"Um," began Emily "well we have double Herbology with the Hufflepuffs.."

**Scorpius POV**

_I go to apologize, and this is what happens!_ I was fuming. It didn't show of course, because years of my father trying to brainwash me into my "rightful place as Malfoy heir" had at least a little effect.

Now I as covered in sticky pink.. well I wasn't sure what this stuff was. I had been trying to find the Gryffindor common room to apologize to Lil- the Potter girl, when she comes storming around the corner, not paying attention to anything around her, and knocks me to the ground. Doesn't even stop to apologize.

_Well if she won't apologize, then neither will I. _I thought.

Just then, i realized that I only had ten minutes to get to class. i had been brooding in the library until i could figure out a way to get this stuff off. That was not going to happen. As I stepped out into the corridor, three people walked around the corner.

It was Andrea Zabini, Elijah Nott, and for some reason, Ashby Moon. They stared at me. I stared back.

"What happened to you?" said Zabini with a disgusted face.

"That _stupid_ Potter girl happened. I cannot believe she's even allowed here." I sneered before I could help myself.

"Oh," said Zabini. "Do you want us to hex her back for you? I mean, you can't walk around the castle like _that_."

_Hex her back... what did she mean? _i stared blankly at her before I realized she thought Lily had hexed me. I almost laughed.

"You think I can't handle it?" I asked raising an eyebrow.

"Well, no, I- here, I'll help you. _Scourgify! _"

"I could have done that myself." There was an awkward pause.

"So, want to walk with us to Charms?"

"I'm not going."

"Well, I"ll bring you your work then." said Zabini firmly. She walked quickly away before I could protest.

_There, I played the perfect Slytherin. I was distant, insulted a gryffindor, and father, he would be pround. _I thought bitterly.

I remembered when I was first sorted. I had been so foolish to think that being in Slytherin would make my father happy. _Please _I had begged the Sorting hat. _Please put me in Slytherin._

_But why? _asked the hat. _You have bravery, and would do quite well in Gryffindor._

_No. If I had to tell my father..I need to be in Slytherin. Please._

So here I was. I sighed. At least I didn't have to go to class.

The library was my refuge. It was where I went to be away from people with thier noisy complaints and incessant need to talk.

But I couldn't sulk in here anymore. I had to go find Lily and apologize.


	4. An Apology

**I'm back! I just moved house and didn't have internet for a while. But now I do.**

"James."

"Hmm?" I turned to Bones reluctantly "Sorry I wasn't really paying attention."

"I don't think you should have told Lily to bugger off like that yesterday."

"Why not? She's my annoying little sister."

"It was rude. And you didn't used to think she was annoying."

"Yes, I did."

She sighed. "I don't have time to argue with you today." She stood up.

"Where are you going?"

"To class."

And with that she walked away. What was her problem? She was so closed up and shappish. A shadow of herself. It was weird.

**Lily POV**

"I don't get it. What's magical about wild thistle?"

Weren't you paying attention to Professor Longbottom, Lissa?"

"No. But the name doesn't sound very magical."

I snorted.

"Wild Thistle is used in potions that turn people tranfigured into animals back into people." said Emily.

"So... what are we doing?"

"Because it's difficult to find in the wild, we are atttempting to cultivate it."

"Huh?"

"It's _Wild _Thistle, Lissa." snorted Attie. "We are going to try to put it in a planter. It will attempt to escape, because it's _wild. _We have to keep it there."

"How would it escape? Its a plant."

We all stared at her.

"Gee Lily," I mocked, "What's magical about Wild Thistle?"

"You know how daft I am when it comes to Herbology."

"Just watch."

I grabbed the bundle of tied up thistle, loosened the knot and-

"Ouch!"

"What?"

"It bit me!" I dropped the bundle.

"Never mind that, they're escaping!"

They were, actully. Running away as fast as their little roots could carry them. We chased after them as they jumped around the greeenhouse, knocking over potted plants and freeing other Thistle, while everyone screamed and ran, trying to catch thier Thistle. Then faster than you could say "Venemous tentacula" Professor Longbottom had frozen all the plants where they stood.

"Which foolish person, or people, did not listen to my instructions on how to properly pot these?"

Everyone pointed at the three of us. My friends backed up and pointed at me.

"Traitors." I muttered.

"Miss Potter?"

"Yes?"

"I wont take any points from Gryffindor, but you are getting a detention. You need to learn to pay more attention." he said kindly.

"Yes sir"

I walked back to the table with Atlanta and Emily.

"Thank you so much, Lily, for showing me how to do that." Lissa smirked at me.

"Shut up."

We trudged up to the castle to get to our Charms lesson.

"So." I said, under cover of the classroom chatter. "About my plan."

"What plan?"

"Y'know, for revenge."

I got three blank stares.

"On James."

Silence.

"My brother?"

"Yeah." sighed Attie "About that.."

I narrowed my eyes. "You're ditching me?"

"Don't be silly. We're your friends, and we're always with you.. just not for this."

"So...you're ditching me."

"Don't you think what you're planning is kinda mean?" said Emily "I mean, he has been rude to you, but.."

"But he is your brother."

"Plus, he's pretty cute."

"Eww! TMI Lissa." I cringed.

"Miss Potter, would you care to demonstrate your progress for me?"

I looked up, well, down, at Professor Flitwick. "sure."

I, of course, performed the charm flawlessly.

"Well, that was a suprisingly easy lesson. I mean, I didn't expect it to be hard, but-"

"Lily."

"Yeah?"

"Shut up."

"Was I being brainy again?"

"Yeah."

"What do we have next again?"

"Potions with the Slytherins."

I groaned. Lessons with the Slytherins were usually unbearable. When we got there, we were miraculously early and the fifth year stragglers were leaving.

"Hey." I turned. It was Malfoy.

"Two things, Potter. One, you owe me an apology."

"I owe _you-_" I started, outraged.

"Secondly," he acted as though I hadn't spoken. "I'm-" He paused, and abruptly turned to my friends.

"Clear off."

"Why?" Attie looked offended.

"Because." sneered Malfoy. "I need to speak with Potter alone."

They looked suspicious.

"Why?" asked Attie again.

"Look, Attie, I can take care of myself. You three go ahead to Potions. Be there in a sec, okay?"

I turned back to Malfoy as they walked away, muttering.

"Well?"

"So are you going to apologize, or what?"

"Why should I apologize to you?" I yelled, outraged.

"For Knocking me down on the staircase this morning and getting whatever that stuff was, on me."

"That was you?" I was momentarily taken aback, then recovered. "Fine, sorry then. What else did you want?"

"Well, I'm sorry, for well, reading that diary thing."

"It wasn't a diary. It was a blank journal that I wrote poetry in."

"Whatever. I'm sorry, okay?"

"Wait, you are?" I was momentarily stunned.

He sighed. "Are you usually this thick? Yes, I'm sorry I upset you by reading it. Don't make me say it again."

"Oh. Well you're forgiven. I gotta go, before I'm late."

I turned to go.

"It was really brilliant."

"What?" I turned back around.

"Your poetry. It was brilliant. Really well written, Potter."

"Oh, well thanks." my cheeks turned pink. Why was I blushing?

"Well, goodbye."

As I hurried down th dungeon steps I heard him yell "Goodbye." after me.


	5. A Midnight Flight

It was really late, and I still hadn't made a dent in my homework.

I sighed.

"This week flew by didn't it?" said Emily.

"Wow, has a whole week flown by already? There are only over 30 more to go? Surely you're mistaken, Emily." I said sardonicly.

"She was just trying to start a conversation." snapped Lissa.

"And I was Trying to finish it. And you were just trying to have the last word. I'm so glad we're all-inclusive today. But wait," I mock gasped "What about Atlanta?" I turned abruptly towards her.

"Well I think this is ridiculous." she said, throwing her arms up in surrender.

"And Attie thinks the whole thing is ridiculous. I'm glad we covered this, then."

"Why are you in such a bad mood?"

"I'm not."

"Yes you are."

"Emily said something, and I commented. You're the one who's acting like your in a bad mood. But whatever." I slammed my books shut and began putting them in my bag.

"Lily."

"No, no. I'm tired and I want to go to bed." I stormed up to the common room and threw my bag down on my four poster. I wasn't in a bad mood. Before. But I say one thing and my best mates jump down my throat! It had happened yesterday, too. Ever since the Term started they were nothing but critical. I knew they meant well, but... I paced back and forth. I wished I could go flying. But it was past curfew already. If only.. I stopped. I had an idea.

Slowly I crept down the stair case and peeked out. Attie and Lissa had there backs to me and were talking together. About me. Behind my back. But I wasn't going to let that bother me now. Emily was facing the girls staircase, but she had dozed off. I had one chance. I darted over to the boys staircase, then looked back. They Hadn't seen me.

I crept quietly up the stair case to the dormitory that said _Sixth Years_. I pushed open the door, praying it wouldn't squeak. It didn't.

I crept over to James' trunk, then cast Muffliato around me. Opening the trunk, I groaned. It was a mess! I began sifting through it glancing up every few minutes to see if anyone had woke, until I found it. The Invisibility Cloak. I closed the trunk, stood up, turned around, and nearly screamed. James' mate Scott was awake and just saw me take my brother's cloak.

How long had it been since I looked up? I swore under my breath. Creeping slowly towards the door, I look ed him and mouthed _Don't tell him._ He nodded. I undid the spell, shut the door and threw the invisibility cloak over me.

Then I ran back up the girls stairs, grabbed my _Firebolt 2_ (a birthday present from mum and dad), and went back down to the common room with it hidden under the cloak. The Fat Lady squawked "Who is it?" as I climbed out the portait hole. I didn't answer.

Thankfully, the doors to the grounds were unlocked.

When I reached the pitch, I threw off the cloak. I was free. I breathed in the cool night air and jumped on my broom. I loved flying by moonlight.

I did a couple loop-the-loops to let out stress. Then I raced around the pitch and weaved in and out of the goal posts. I decided to go exploring.

I flew away from the pitch, towards the forbidden forest. As I flew over the treetops, I heard the _whoosh _of wings beside me. I looked over.

"Hello, Willah." I said to the thestral I was pretty sure was Willah, next to me. I could see her because Auntie Muriel had died last Christmas. (Grandmum blames Uncle George.) The thestrals were actually really sweet, once you got to know them. Of course, if James heard me say that, he'd say that I'd "been spending too much time with wacky Aunt Luna."

Grr. Stupid James.

I patted Willah's head. she snorted. I yawned. Now I really was tired. I flew back to the front door. Throwing the invisibility cloak backover myself and my broom, I ran back up to the dormitory.

"Dead eye." I muttered and the portrait swung open.

I crept up the staircase to the sixth year dormitories and replaced the cloak. Then I turned to James' bed and performed two little charms for revenge. One would make everything he touched green and silver, the other would make him insult the person he was looking at whenever he tried to ask a question.

My work done I crept up to my dormitory. Tomorrow was going to be very interesting. I smiled to myself as I fell asleep.


	6. An Arguement

**La la la. I no longer have writer's block. yay! oh I do not own, blah blah blah disclaimer.**

"Where were you last night?" said Attie accusingly over the breakfast table in the Great Hall.

"In the dorm. Sleeping."

"You liar. We went up there to go to bed and you weren't there."

"I woke up and.. went for a walk."

"So where did you go?"

"Nowhere in particular.."

"Lily." She narrowed her eyes.

"The forest."

Lissa snorted. "We're not that gullible. It's so obvious. There's no denying it, Lily."

"Denying what?"

"Just tell us who the guy is, and we'll leave you alone about it." Attie smirked at me.

"What?" squealed Emily. "There's a guy? Who?"

I rolled my eyes. "There's no guy."

Lissa snorted.

"You don't have to hide anything from us. We're your friends."

"Th- I wasn't with a guy. Drop it, ok?" I snapped at them.

With that I stormed out of the hall. Why Attie always have to assume she was right?

"Stupid clueless blond arse." I muttered to myself as I walked by someone.

"You shouldn't be so rude, Potter." said the person. I looked up.

It was Scorpius Malfoy. I turned bright red.

"Oh! Uh, I wasn't talking about you."

He raised an aristocratic eyebrow. "Really? So what other stupid blonde arse were you talking about then?" He gestured to the empty corridor.

"I was just talking to myself."

"First sign of insanity, Potter."

I turned even redder. Where was this coming from? I didn't usually get this angry or easily embarrassed. Probably just stress.

"Want to walk with me to the library?" I stared.

If there had been anyone else in the hall, I wouldn't have believed he'd said it. He didn't look like he believed he said it either. We both stood there, looking shocked, for a few moments. Then I recovered my wits.

"You want to walk to library alone with an insane girl? Sure I won't attack you, Malfoy?" I smirked at him.

He muttered something under his breath.

"What was that?"

"I wasn't talking to you."

"Well taking to yourself is the first sign of insanity, Malfoy."

"Then perhaps we're both insane." He smirked "In which case I don't have to worry about you attacking me, do I?" He gestured down the corridor. "Come on."

We walked in silence.

"Why would you-" I began. he interrupted me.

"Why would I want to walk to the library with a Gryffindork?"

"Gryffindork, that's clever. Did you come up with that yourself?" I sneered, my voice dripping with sarcasm.

"Actually, no. Everyone in Slytherin says it."

I considered that for a moment.

"Oh."

He turned and looked at me. "That's all you have to say is 'oh'? Usually you have some kind of snappy retort or something."

"Are you just going to stand there, debating my lack of snappy retort, or are we going in the library?" I snorted.

He turned. "We're here."

"Thank you for stating the obvious. You sound so shocked. If you didn't know, why did you stop walking?"

He turned slightly pink and narrowed his eyes.

"Slights on my intelligence shouldn't be coming from you, Potter, who only has to spend 5 minutes in Herbology to demolish the whole Greenhouse."

I gaped at him, my face flushed. I could feel my temper rising.

"You-you- I should-"

"You should what, stutter at me?"

I broke.

"YOU COMPLETE ARSE! I SUPPOSE YOU THINK YOUR BETTER THAN ME? WELL YOU'RE NOT! YOUR WHOLE FAMILY IS A DISGRACE! AND YOUR JUST LIKE THEM!"

His face blanched.

"YOU ARE NOTHING BUT A STUCK-UP PUREBLOOD PRAT! AND NOW YOU FOUND SOMEONE YOU CAN'T PUSH AROUND, SO WHAT? DO YOU KNOW WHAT I'M GOING THROUGH RIGHT NOW? OF COURSE YOU DO! THAT'S WHY YOUR DOING THIS! BUT GUESS WHAT?" I screamed, making the paintings rattle on the wall.

"Hey-"

"IT'S NOT GOING TO WORK! I DON'T CARE WHAT YOU SAY TO ME! YOU DON'T MATTER TO ANYONE! YOU STUPID SLIMY SLYTHERIN GIT!"

"I wasn't-"

"YOU'RE DIRT! YOU'RE LOWER THAN DIRT! YOU'RE NOTHING! YOU COULD DIE AND NOBODY WOULD CARE! GO TO HELL MALFOY! YOU MAKE ME SICK!"

I stormed down the corridor, determined to get as far away from him as possible.

**Scorpius POV**

She hated me. She _hated _me.

Well it was my fault, insulting her like that. The pain had come as a shock, how mush hurt her words had caused me.

Why did it have to matter to me? I had backed myself into a corner with this one. I sighed.

She really _hated _me.

* * *

**Oh.. it seems Lily lost her temper again. poor malfoy. well something could become of this..**

**Review please!  
**


	7. Another Day

**Aargh! I just realized I forgot to put Fredrick George in the story! Oh what'll I do? Revise all chapters? Or fix it from here? You tell me when you REVIEW! Oh yeah and I don't own Harry Potter. Plus vote in my poll for Al's girlfriend! Author out!**

"Spill, girl."

I looked up. "Um, Atlanta?"

"Well I know you got in a fight with Malfoy-"

"You, uh, heard about that, huh?"

"I didn't hear _about _it, I just heard it. The whole castle heard it. You've got some lungs on you."

"Whoa! My eardrums are still pounding." Lissa rubbed her ears.

"You guys talking about this morning?" I looked round. It was James and Rose.

"Hullo, Rose. How are prefect duties going?"

"Quite well. I'm planning a special event, actually."

What is it?"

Oh, you'll just have to wait to know with everyone else."

"So what did that ferret say that made you so mad?" asked James.

"Oh, nothing. Just that I'm basically a worthless stuttering idiot with no brain and even less dignity."

There was a silence.

"HOW DARE HE!"

"That prat!"

"Oh he's gonna pay!"

"THAT'S IT! No one is allowed to talk to my sister like that except me!"

I blinked. "Thank you for your concern." I said loudly. "But I can handle it myself."

They looked dubious.

"Um, Lils-"

"I can handle it. But your confidence in me is astounding." I said dryly.

Then I turned to James. "When's the first practice?"

"After tryouts, which are next Saturday. And I expect you to re-tryout." said James. "Well, see ya!"

I sighed. I still had lots of homework, which meant I could either go to the Library, where Malfoy might be. Or I could go to the common room, which would be crowded and noisy, but Malfoy-free.

15 minutes later I had settled in the library, and just had a foot to go on my Potions essay when I heard a cough. I looked up to see Eric Jordan standing in front of me.

"Hey."

"Hi."

"Do you mind if I sit here?"

"Sure, but I didn't think you were the Library type."

"I didn't think you were either." he said, sitting down with an armload of homework.

We sat working on homework together. I actually helped him with his Charms and Defense, which was saying something because he was in fourth year.

**For those of you who were curious about Lily's classes, they are: Charms, Potions, Herbology, Astronomy, Care of Mag. Creatures, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Arithmancy, and History of Magic. Author out!**

"So." said Eric breaking the awkward silence. "Er, thanks for helping me."

"You too."

"Well... I'll see you later then." And he hurried off.

I sat there for a minute. _He certainly was behaving oddly _I thought. I shrugged it off and gathered my books up to go back to the common room.

* * *

I scribbled another line in, then crossed it out. Prank planning really was difficult.

"Hey Lils, what are you up to?" asked James.

"I'm planning to prank the Slytherins."

James scoffed. "You couldn't pull a decent prank if you tried."

"Oh yeah?" I narrowed my eyes. "We'll just see about that tomorrow morning."


	8. An Injury

**Sorry. I had another bout of writer's block, and then my internet stopped working. grr. But here's chapter eight! Well, technically, It's nine. I think I'll remove that "i'm sorry" note. Oh, and sadly, I don't own Harry Potter. Author out!**

"Okay, I need your help." My friends looked up.

Attie gave me a calculating look. "With what?"

"Um, well, I was in the common room last night, working on one of my ingenious prank plans-"

"We're not going to help you."

"Why not?"

"Are you really asking that?" asked Emily. "Last time we helped you with a prank, we nearly got expelled."

"But we didn't."

"But we could have. And unlike you, Miss my-parents-are-wizards-and-can-homeschool-me-if-I-get-expelled, I'm muggle-born!"

"If I got expelled, my wand would be snapped." I said frostily.

Attie snorted "Oh, please. You dad is Harry freaking Potter. Like he'd let that happen."

**A/n: yeah, I just made an AVPS reference.**

"My Mum and Dad." I said stiffly, "Have more important things to worry about right now."

There was an uncomfortable pause.

"We do have other reasons for not helping." said Emily softly.

"What's your other reason? Does it have anything to do with what Lissa and Attie were whispering about two nights ago?" I flared up angrily.

"Aha!" shreiked Lissa triumphantly. "You're a liar! You said you had gone to bed, but you were spying on us! What else are you hiding?"

"What am _I _hiding? Are you SERIOUS?"

"Don't think we haven't noticed you disappearing all the time."

"You- You three are impossible!" I yelled angrily.

"Well THEN," said Atlanta angrily, "I guess we sould go our separate ways from now on."

"That's the first good idea you've ever had." I spat angrily.

"Oh will you SHUT UP!" yelled Lissa.

The three of of stood there, glaring at each other. Emily looked quite overwhelmed. I turned to her abruptly.

"Whose side are you on?"

"Well.. you don't really have a right to be mad at them.." said Emily hesitantly.

"Right," I snarled. "Right."

I stormed down the dormitory stairs. I didn't really think about where I was going, I didn't care that it was past curfew, I just wanted to get as far away from my so-called _friends_ as possible. A few minutes later, when I had run out of breath, I realized I was on the pitch.

Well fat lot of good that would do me. My broom was in the girl's dorm. Frustrated, I kicked the stands, only to twist my ankle and fall. My head hit the stands with a **thunk**, something else made a **crack**_, _and a sharp pain ran through my ankle. I bit back my tears and tried to stand. Nope, not sprained, broken. I couldn't help it. Tears began to flow down my cheeks, and racking sobs and wails burst through my lips. I was actually _crying_.

I was so _stupid_. As I lay there sobbing, James's jeering voice came out the darkness.

_Pathetic. A broken ankle makes you cry? How are you going to play Quidditch like that? You're weak. I should've expected this much from my _baby_ sister._

"No." I said, And my voice rang out into the still night air. "I am _not_ weak."

"Well no one ever said you were." came a drawling voice. I gasped.

"You!" I jumped up, then the pain came again, and I fell backwards. I pushed myself up on my elbows and gritted my teeth.

"Why can't you stand?"

"Why do you care, Malfoy?" I snapped.

He stared at me for a second. My stomach squirmed uncomfortably. "That's a very good question." he sighed. "So why can't you stand?"

I glared at him. "I can stand."

"Then do it."

I gritted my teeth and pulled myself up. My ankle throbbed painfully. I wobbled for a few seconds, then fell over clutching my ankle.

"Okay, so I can't stand, so what?"

He seemed to be pondering something. Then in one fluid movement, he reached down and picked me up.

"Put me down!" I screeched.

"I'm taking you Madame Pomfrey."

"No you're not."

He looked at me like I was mad. "Potter, your ankle is broken. You can't _walk_."

"I don't want to go see Madame Pomfrey. Now put me down, or I'll hex you. My _arm_ isn't broken."

He stopped. "Look, I'm sorry that I made fun of you."

"I think I see a pattern forming here. You're a prat, then you apologize. Then you're a prat again, now, you apologize again." I laughed.

He scowled, and I immediately felt guilty. "Sorry."

"For what?"

"For saying those awful things to you yesterday."

"Oh. Well, that's all right. I understand why you would think that those things are true. I have been a bit of a git. So, if you don't want to go to Madame Pomfrey, I can mend your ankle for you."

"You want me to trust you enough to fix my broken ankle?" I asked skeptically.

"I understand of you want to go to Madame Pomfrey about it." He started walking again.

"No! She'll keep me in there forever!"

He kept walking. Now we were on the staircase that led to the Hospital Wing. I was panicking now. I swallowed. If I went in there everyone would find out what happened, including that row with Atlanta.

"All right! You can mend my ankle!"

Malfoy looked down at me. "You're sure?"

"Yeah."

He pulled out his wand. "Episkey! There, is your ankle mended?"

He stood me up. I took a few steps, turned to him and nodded. "It's excellent, thanks."

"That's good, because I've never done that spell before."

It took a few seconds for that to sink in. "MALFOY!" I shouted.

He started laughing. I stared at him incredulously. How could he laugh about something like this? "You-you-" I spluttered, the heat rising in my face.

"I was joking!" he said, looking alarmed. "I knew the spell already."

"How?" I said as I calmed down. "It's really advanced."

"And I'm really clumsy. I had to learn it to save trips to the infirminary. Otherwise I would never get any work done."

"That's sensible."

"why were you at the pitch?" he asked curiously.

"I don't really know. I just sort of ended up there. Why were you there?"

"Same reason."

We walked in silence for a while. We reached the portait of the Fat Lady, "Dead eye." I said before I turned to him.

"Goodnight, Malfoy."

He smiled. "Night, Potter. Don't break anymore bones unless I'm there."

**Okay, so it's not what I planned to write. But they're not fighting anymore, and Scorpius got to hold Lily, at least. READ & REVIEW! Author out!**


	9. An Idea

***singing annoying tune* do do do! Do do de do! Buh buh bum, da da da da da! *continues singing off key* Oh yeah! I don't own Harry Potter. *sighs pathetic* See. that just spoiled my good mood. Any way, chapter 9 is here. Author out!**

"Come on, people, run the drill again. Again!"

I sighed, then flew back into position.

"I swear if James tells us to it over one. more. time," said Lucy through gritted teeth. "I will personally hex him until he is more half-witted than dragon dung."

"I'll help." I muttered, as James swerved in our direction.

"Lily. Lead the drill."

I sighed. We had been doing the same moves for an hour, and even though we had been doing them flawlessly, it wasn't good enough for my idiot brother.

I doubled back, feinted to the left, passed the quaffle to Lucy, who flew once around the pitch, dodged the bludgers that Fred and Hooper hit at her, switched an underhanded pass to Marlina Robins, who scored.

"Doing pretty good." allowed James. "Do it twice more, switching positions this time, then we'll work on the beater's new maneuvers."

I gritted my teeth.

Four hours later we trudged into the castle, exhausted, but fairly sure we would win the first match against Slytherin. i stomped up to the common room, griping -along with the rest of the team- about James' unfair practices, and plotting the best way to corner and torture him.

I was preparing my tirade for Attie to listen to, when I remembered we hadn't talked in weeks. I sighed audibly and stomped flat-footed up the stairs.

* * *

As I sat at my desk pondering what to write, my stomach squirmed guiltily at the thought of the large pile of unfinished homework that awaited me later. I sighed, refilled my ink, and started to write.

_Dear Al,_

_How are you? Are you getting any better? I send you my condolences, and I miss you a lot. I broke my ankle three weeks ago, but a friend healed it up for me. Attie, Lissa, Emily, and I had a row that same evening. I haven't spoken to them since. Do real friends talk about you behind your back? I guess it's selfish to complain about my troubles, which I'm sure are quite trivial, when you are doing so badly. I'm back on the team and I don't think James wanted to let me on, but as I outflew everyone at tryouts, I don't think he had a choice. I think we'll flatten Slytherin in the first match. Rose and the other prefects are planning a school event, but she won't tell me what it is. Has she wrote to you about it? I know you would've been prefect if you were here. But you're just lucky you're not slaving away at papers like me._

_Miss you,_

_Lily_

I sealed that parchment shut, then pulled out a fresh sheet and began a new letter.

_Dear Mum,_

_How's work? My Schoolwork is going quite well. It's acually easier than I thought, except for Herbology, of course. Can't wait for Hols' when we'll all be together again. Oh, guess what? I made the team again this year! I'll write again soon!_

_Your daughter,_

_Lily_

_P.S. I haven't gotten a detention yet this year! Aren't you proud?_

I rolled up the second scroll and smiled. Sliding both of them neatly into my bag, I left the common room and headed off to the Owlery. it was a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I wanted to send these letters before Quidditch practice.

"Hey Gwenog." I patted my owl's head. Named after Gwenog Jones, who had been captain of the Holyhead Harpies before my mum. I tied both scrolls carefully to her leg.

"Now the one with the yellow ribbon is for mum," I said as I gave her some owl nuts. "And the one with red seal is for Albus."

As I watched her fly away, I smiled for the first time in a week. I turned to leave the owlery, and as I stepped out the doorway onto the stairs I ran into someone.

"oh sorry." I muttered.

"Oh that's all right." drawled a voice. "By now I expect you to be clumsy."

"Malfoy!" I gasped. "What are you doing here?"

"Well generally, one goes to the Owlery to send a letter."

"Who are you writing to?"

"That's my business."

"Hmmm."

"What?"

"Nothing."

There was an akward silence.

"Er, want to go flying?"

I looked up at him. "I've just finished six hours of Quidditch practice."

"Oh. Six hours, really?"

"I've just had an idea. " I grinned. How'd you like to go in the forbidden forest."

"Are you _mad_?"

"Quite possibly. But I've gone in there loads of times. I get ten times more injuries playing Quidditch than I do going in there."

He looked dubious.

"I know you don't think it's a good idea, but you need to trust me."

He had a strange look on his face. Before I could ask him what was wrong, it passed.

"Well, lead on then." he smiled.

**What on earth possessed Lily to decide to go into the forbidden forest? Sometimes even your own characters lead you into strange places. And I'm very sorry about taking so long to update, but my computer was down. Ugh, that was hard for me. Read & Review!**


	10. An Adventure

**Genius has struck! Or maybe not. But this might be the fastest I've ever updated. Any ways, J.k. Rowling owns Harry Potter, not me. Don't sue me, or take my laptop please! Author out!**

"Wait." I held my arm out to stop Malfoy from walking out of the shadow of the castle. "It's Hagrid. Look." I pointed around the edge of the wall, and sure enough, Hagrid came striding into view a second later. We watched him go up to the castle, twilight framing his giant figure.

"Pay attention. I need you on guard." I motioned to the greenhouses, and we crept behind them quietly, as that was the shortest distance to the forest from there. Past Hagrid's hut, which he had thankfully just vacated, and at the edge of the forest we paused and looked back.

"Well." said Malfoy, shivering "I suppose there's no turning back now." He looked even paler than usual

"Blimey, you look like your about to be sick. Where's your sense of courage?"

He stared at me. "You're joking, right?"

"Oh, right." Not a Gryffindor, I reminded myself. I gotta go easy on him.

"Listen, if you want to go back up to the castle..I mean, I don't see anything to be afraid of, but.."

"Are you calling me a coward?" He narrowed his eyes.

"Oh, no." I hastily amended. "It's just, if your scared it's easier for you to get hurt.."

"So, you're saying that you think I'm not watchful enough, or maybe, _skilled_ enough to go in there with you?" He looked livid.

"No, I just.. don't get your self hurt, okay Malfoy?"

"Why would it matter?" he said shortly. "I'm lower than dirt. I'm nothing. I could _die _and nobody would care, remember?"

He might as well have spit in my face. "I apologized for that weeks ago!" I choked, tears threatening to sting the corners of my eyes. "How could you bring that up now?"

There was a silence, then-

"Are you crying?"

"No." I aswered in a quavery voice. And I wasn't. Not yet.

"Oh, sorry, sorry." he hastily amended as my eyes threatened to spill over. Stupid traitor sighed. "I'm sorry I said anything. I didn't mean to, it just slipped out."

"Well, it was practically unforgivable."

"But I forgave you."

"Yes, mostly."

"No, I really did."

"You think you did, but there's a part of you that didn't. Something in what I said touched on an insecurity you didn't want to admit you have, am I right?" I didn't wait for an answer. "So now, you are faced with a choice. Admit to yourself that there is a problem in your life that's causing you severe distress, or blame me, perhaps subconsciously, but its still there."

There was a very long silence.

"Oh no. I did it again, didn't I? I'm sorry. Sometimes, when I'm talking to someone, I... Well I can be good at helping people, but...never mind." I muttered, my face flaming.

"Don't worry about it," he said, with a half hearted smile that looked more like a grimace. "So what about that adventure?"

"Adventure?"

"Into the forest."

"Oh! right, Well," I looked around. Night had fallen. " Lumos!" I whispered, and the tip of my wand flared up. "there's a path over here." I pointed to a thin trail that was barely discernable from the rest of the forest.

It was muck blacker in here than on the grounds, the density of the treetops blocking out the light from the moon and stars.

"Just out of curiosity, how much do you know about the forbidden forest?"

"Not much."

"Well you're lucky, because you have your own personal tour guide! Actually, in our parents time, there was a colony of acromantulas living in here."

He looked rather alarmed at that.

"Don't worry, the ministry relocated them." I paused. "Mostly."

"_Mostly?_"

I laughed."We just have to avoid that part of the forest. True, the centaurs will chase us, but they won't kill us, the thestrals are quite tame, and no one's seen a giant in ages." I turned around.

"Uh, Malfoy, Why are you stopping?"

"I'm going back to the castle."

"Why?"

"Because I don't fancy being dead." He turned around and started walking.

"Oy! Malfoy come back here."

"No." I had to jog after him.

"LIsten Malfoy. You have to turn around."

"No thanks. I'm leaving." He shook me off, irritated.

"SCORPIUS MALFOY, YOU STOP RIGHT NOW!" I shouted, completely exasperated with the fact that he wasn't listening.

He stopped. "What?"

"You can't leave like this."

"Oh? and why not?"

"Because your going in the wrong direction."

"Well then, I- what?"

"If you wanted to get back to the castle you needed to go that way." I pointed in a completely different direction than the one he had been walking.

"Then-" he looked confused. "where does this path go?"

"Well it goes-" I looked around, and my stomach turned to ice when I realized where we were.

"Oy, Potter. Hey! are you- Lily, are you okay?" His expression turned to alarm when he saw my horrified expression.

"Malfoy?"

"Yeah?"

"Do you know what a lethifold is?"

He blanched. "Oh hell."

"We need to get out of here. Now." I started backing up. Then I heard somthing brush the leaves behind me. I jumped back.

"Is it just me, or has the forest gone pitch black? How are we supposed to fight it if we can't see?"

Something caught my ankle, and suddenly I was being pulled back, the sharp rock and braches scratch my arms. Shadowy trendrils were wrapping around my lungs, suffocating me.

_Your dreamsss._ it whispered. _Give me your dreams. Give me your flesh_.

"Scorpius!" I wailed, my voice hoarse. "Help me!"

I couldn't breathe. My vision was fading into black. I was going to die.

Then I was blinded, my vision flooded with light. There were shrieks and yells. And then I was moving, being carried, and reassuring voice was speaking, though I couldn't make out the words. My mind was unfocused._ I must be in shock. And seriously injured too._ I thought.

But I couldn't seem to bring my self to care enough to open my eyes.

The first thing I saw was the moon. It was big and bright on velvety star-sprinkled sky.

"It's beautiful." I murmured. And suddenly Scorpius was there.

"Lily are you all right?"

"Actually," my brow furrowed. "I feel fine. Even though I was just attacked. How odd."

He breathe a sigh of relief. "The healing charms worked. Good. Can you stand?"

I raised an eyebrow at him. "I just said I was fine, didn't I?"

"C'mon." I stood up and brushed myself off as if it was nothing. "We shood be getting back to the castle. He nodded.

"Oh, well this is brilliant." he grumbled as we trudged through the forest. "Ow!"

"Did you fall again?"

"We have been in here for nearly four hours, and although that-"

"Shh. I hear something."

"What?"

...

"Never mind, just a young centaur. Hey, ever flown on anything other than a broom?"

"No, why?"

"This is mad. I can even see this thing."

"She's not a thing."

"Well, either way I am never doing this again."

We soared through the night, The full moon high in the cloudless expanse of darkness above us. I was perfectly at ease, riding sidesaddle on a the back of a thestral. Malfoy, however, was clinging to its neck as if he thought he would be thrown off at any minute.

"All right, girl, I need to back to the castle." but instead of landing on the grounds near the front door, Willah flew up to the window of Gryffindor tower.

"Well, that wasn't what I expected, but it works." I said as I opened the window.

"Well it doesn't work for me. "

I turned, surprised. "Just ask her to fly you down to the front door."

"I don't trust this thing."

"You got on, didn't you?"

"I had you helping me."

"Well..." I deliberated for a moment. The common room was empty, so.. I hesitated, then pulled him in the window after me.

"Hey what-"

He turned to the window, but Willah had already gone. "Ah, well. I suppose this way is better. Cozy," he said, looking round. "Well I have to get back to my own common room, so-"

"Just go out the portrait hole, and head down to the dungeons before someone sees you in here." I told him. "Oh, and Malfoy?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks. You know, for saving me." I grinned at him.

"I guess I'll see you around, Potter."

"Yeah. Night, Scor."

He looked stunned for a moment, then smiled, and with an odd sort of half-wave, he left.

I yawned. It had been a long day, I'd barely eaten anything, and gotten scratched and bruised and nearly killed in the forest. And yet I was actually happy. How odd.

**Scorpius POV**

_Scor? And what was with that smile? And why do feel so strange?_ I shook my self. "I must be really tired."


	11. Anger

**Hello readers! For those of you who were expecting fabulous adventures in the forest, so sorry. Lily knows her way around too well to get in trouble. It's only when people don't follow her advice, then they get into trouble. I don't own Lil's advice, nor Lily, nor anything Potter related. Author out!**

Over the next month or so, I spent more and more time with Scorpius. Not surprising, since he was the only friend I had. James worked the Quidditch team relentlessly, until Fred rebelled and said we needed our lives back. Fred, Bones, and James had taken to forming a trio, so it seemed like they were one person sometimes. Scott and Kevin seem to have decided that the two of them really are the same person. I asked them what was up, but I didn't get anything out of them.

Halloween almost took me by surprise. it had crept up on me without me realizing it.

The feast was brilliant, of course. But Anyone who knew anything left after the Feast to go to an inter-house party in the shrieking shack. A sixth year was out by the whomping willow, repeatedly immobilizing it as she let students through the secret passageway in groups of three or four.

I was having a fairly good time when I heard a snide voice behind me.

"Well look who decided to show up, girls." she smirked at me, her eyes flashing.

"Lissa."

"Lily."

She had obviously stepped up as 'leader' and apparently, by the tone of her voice, that made her better than me or something. Behind her, on her right Atlanta was looking at me with a half disdainful, half angry expression. Emily, on her left, looked sulky and sorrowful.

"I never thought I'd see you here, Lily. Shouldn't you be in the common room with your geeky little nose stuck in a book?"

"Shouldn't you be fixing your makeup. It's the only thing you can do with an empty head." I quipped.

"Oh, how very clever. how long did it take you to come up with that one, a week? Is that what you are doing shut up in the library all the time, making up insults?"

"How did you know I was in the Library, who's spying now?"

"No one. Unless you have something to tell us? I just assumed. I mean, it's not like you have any _friends._" She laughed, and it was an ugly laugh, full of scorn and contempt. Atlanta and Emily giggled behind her.

"There's only so far fame and arrogance can take you, Lily." Atlanta mock- scolded behind her. "After that you will have to face the truth."

"And the truth is, nobody cares about you." Atlanta and Lissa laughed loudly.

"As it so happens," I said in the most dignified voice I had picked up from Scorpius, "I do have friends. Now run along, go giggle about boys with the Patil girls or something."

Lissa turned bright red. I smirked, satisfied with siphoning a small portion of the red hot anger boiling in the pit of my stomach out on them.

A conversation I had with Scorpius came out of the back of my mind.

_"Calm. You need to be calm."_

_"I AM Calm!"_

_"Don't yell. You need to control your anger. You could hurt someone with that temper of yours."_

_"There's NOTHING wrong with my temper."_

_"Yes there is, you have a problem."_

_"ARE YOU SAYING THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH MY HEAD?"_

_"No. I'm saying you get angry too easily. It's not healthy, Lily. Control you temper. Calm down."_

_"I'm always angry."_

_"Lily."_

"Hey, Potter. You are in my way."

I turned, realising that Scorpius was right behind me. He raised his eyebrows at the four of us. "Having a nice little chat?"

I turned red and stepped back. I heard snickering behind me.

"You've become a door mat, Lily. I'd never have expected it of you."

The rage that I had struggled to contain since the three of them walked up to me exploded, and after that I think I blacked out, because the last thing I remember is pulling out my wand.

**Well, I'm not sure lily is in a good place, I just kind of let the words do what they wanted, so Read & Review. Author out!**


	12. A Visit

**Here's another chapter, I don't harry potter, etc etc. moving on with the story. OH and This chapter is dedicated to Mystical Starlight. Author out!**

It's so cold here.

_Lily?_

Was that the ocean? where am I?

_Lily, can you hear me?_

How thick the fog is here! I feel so sleepy. It's nice. Like floating.

_Lily. It's me. _

What's that voice? Ouch! My head hurts...

_Lily!_

"Lily."

I jolted upright. My head was throbbing, my vision bleary. I rubbed my eyes. I appeared to be in the hospital wing. Why was I here?

"Glad to see you're awake." said a quiet voice, and I turned sharply in its direction. This proved to be a mistake, and I buckled over, holding my bandaged head.

"Are you alright?" asked another voice, and I sat back up.

"Al?"

"The one and only. How do you feel?"

I shrieked with joy, and threw myself at him in hug. "You have no idea what school has been like without you!"

"Well from your letters I'd say it's terrible."

I laughed. Al still looked very frail, but loads better than when I had last seen him.

"Shouldn't you be on your deathbed?" I joked.

"Until two weeks ago I nearly was." he said, and the smile slid from my face.

"I'm all right now." he added hastily. "I'm getting loads better. It's a secret, so don't anyone, not even James or Rose, but I hope to be back at school by Christmas."

"What!"

"Yep. If I continue to improve at this rate, I think I'll be able to convince Mum and Dad to let me come back."

"Mum shouldn't be a problem. But Dad.." I trailed off.

"I know." he nodded. "He's just worried.. you know, if I died-"

"Don't!" I shrieked. "Don't say that!"

"But if I did-"

"You won't."

"But if I _did,_ it would break him. He's lost so much.. he told me stories, when I was really ill. About his past."

"Really?" I said, eyes wide.

"Mostly stuff we already knew. But in more detail. More of the sad parts he tried to brush over, before."

"Oh. well... I'll keep it a secret." I said, my voice heavy.

"Hmm.. I think I've been tricked." Said a drawling voice. I gasped.

"Scor- erm, Malfoy."

"It's all right, he told me." laughed Albus.

I relaxed. "Scorpius, when did you get here?"

"I've been here this entire time. Thank you so much for not noticing me." He said in a slightly sulky tone that made me giggle.

"Sorry. Who tricked you?"

"You did. I thought you were my friend, but I was just a brother replacement while he was ill." he laughed.

"Don't be thick. Of course you aren't a brother replacement, if you had been you botched it up, anyway." Then all three of us laughed.

"So um, why am I in here?"

"Blimey, don't you remember?" I shook my head. "You dueled those girls, your old ex-mates. Two against one. They were about to lose, you're really powerful, but wall had gotten exploded while you were dueling, it was open to the outside."

"She broke the protective spells on the shack?" interrupted Al. Scorpius nodded.

"And a great gust of wind came through the hole in the wall, and one of the tables flew up and hit you in the head. You dropped like a bird that'd been petrified. "

I winced.

"The tall girl, Lissa, she tried to get you while you were knocked out, but James stopped her, said it wasn't a fair fight now, and she'd better back off or have him to deal with him. So the three of them left."

"Oh. I don't even remember the duel, I blacked out, I was so angry."

"Wow. You blacked out? That's only happened once before. What did she do?"

"Nothing as far as I could tell. They had been throwing insults at her and she just waved them off, but.. I interrupted them, and when I had gone, That girl, Lissa, said something and she just snapped."

"She called me a doormat." I said sharply.

Al gasped. "She didn't."

I nodded. "But I never told her about that... incident, I'm sure she had no idea. James!" I added as he walked in.

"Good to see you fit. You were in a right state. Been out for three days."

"What?" I shrieked.

"Calm down. Sorry I didn't get here earlier. I just got away from Mcgonagall's office."

"Why were you in there?" I asked.

"Well Mum and Dad are in there, they are talking about you now, thankfully. I thought I was a goner, I was getting the triple death stare of Mum, Dad, and Mcgonagall." he shuddered.

"You didn't say-"

"They wrongfully accused me of holding illegal parties in the shrieking shack, when I would never even dream of breaking school rules in such an atrocious manner. At least least that's what I said to her."

"Did she buy it?"

"No." We laughed at his expression.

"So what of the conversation did I miss? And why is this git-" He pointed to Scorpius. "-sitting by your sickbed?"

"Didn't he tell you?"

"No, he ingored me the entire time I was in here yesterday, and the day before that, too."

"We're friends. Have been for a month." I said at the same time scorpius said "A month and a half."

"We-ell then.. which one is it?"

We looked at each other, then said in unison, "Five weeks."

"When did you to two start speaking in unison? Never mind. I can't say I approve of you befriending the ferret."

"Hey!"

"It's your decision so I'll give him a chance. But one misstep-" he growled. "-and I will personally arrange your funeral, Malfoy."

"Wait, you were in here the whole time I was knocked out?" He nodded.

"Aww. You shouldn't have done it. Really, It's your O.W.L year and you could fall behind." I added sternly.

"Hey, I've been gone for two months!" exclaimed Al, and we all burst out laughing again.

"For what you've missed," said Albus in a somber tone, "That girl called Lils a doormat!"

"WHAT! How dare she! I swear I will-"

"Jamie!"

"What, Lily flower?"

"You don't need to do anything. I'll get her back."

"Okay, someone has to tell me, " said Scorpius, "Why calling Lily a doormat is so bad, and what was the incident you mentioned earlier? The one you said she didn't know about?"

I breathed in. "Well.. it happened when I was a kid, see."

"Will you tell me?"

**What IS the incident? HOW did it affect Lily's well being? WHY didn't she like being called a doormat? And what is the REASON I am talking in questions? I don't know the answer to the last one, but read & review and I will update SOON! Author out!**


	13. A Memory

**Urg. hopefully I won't have to split the chapter on this one I hate doing that. I also hate that I DON'T own Harry Potter & co. Author out!**

I breathed in again.

"Well?"

"Don't rush her." snapped James.

"When I was about seven years old, well, I insisted on it, but..

_"Mummy, why can't I go to school with Jamie when he starts next year?"_

_"Because you're still too young."_

_"Those girls are going to school. I heard them say so." I said, pointing out the window at three small, giggly schoolgirls._

_"Those are muggle girls. They are going to muggle school."_

_"Well I want to go to school too."_

_"But you can't Lily."_

_I pouted. Mummy was being so mean. I could be smart enough for school if I wanted. I bet those girls would agree. I gapsed._

_"Mu-um!"_

_"What is it, dear?"_

_"Can I go to muggle school 'till I'm old 'nuff for real school?"_

_"I'm not sure that's a good idea."_

_"Oh, please please please? I'll be really good and I'll never talk back and clean up my room like you told me, please?"_

_"I'll talk to your dad, okay?"_

_"Yes!" I was so happy I could barely contain my excitement, and when Mummy came back and said I could go!_

_This would be the best! I could go to school and find some one who would play with me, and everything would be perfect._

_"Now if anyone asks," Mummy said as she buttoned my coat collar, "You were home schooled before, okay?"_

_"Okay!"_

_The next few days at school were a bit funny, nobody was talking to me very much, 'cause I was new there. On the fourth day, though, another girl came in the classroom I'd never seen in there before. She marched right up to my chair._

_"Get up."_

_"Are you new too?"_

_"No. I was sick, but now I'm back, and that's my chair you're in, new girl."_

_"Miss White, there's another chair over there." the teacher had pointed to another chair across the room._

_The blond girl glared at me. What did I do? I wondered._

_When we went out to play, she came up too me again. "You, new girl, are a freak. Nobody likes you, you should just go home, okay."_

_"I'm not leaving." I sniffed._

_"You'll regret it."_

_The next few weeks continued much the same. The girl, whose name was Nina, got a few other girls to help her torment me. I thought maybe this was the way muggle school was, so I told no one._

_One day I was on the swings when someone pushed me. I fell to the ground and hit my head, hard._

_"You are pathetic. You never fight back, do you? You're like a doormat, just there for people to step on." Her trainer pressed into the back of my neck."_

_"Ouch!"_

_She laughed and kicked me in the head. I felt blood in my mouth. "If you need to push me around to make yourself feel good, you're the doormat." I said, as well as I could with my face pressed to the ground._

_Her eyes widened, and she screamed, and flew at me kicking and clawing. I tried very hard to get away, But I couldn't, and after a while she ran away. _

_I thought I should go home. So I walked out of the village and to my house. It was along walk, and my feet hurt by the time got there._

_Mummy screamed when she saw me. "Oh Lily, what happened to you? Are you okay? Wait right here, I'll get some dittany and you tell me what happened, okay sweetie?"_

_But I didn't tell. All I said was I didn't want to back to muggle school, and no matter how much Mummy tried, she couldn't get me to tell her what happened. Ever.

* * *

_

"Oh, well, I can see why that made you angry." Scorpius said in a quiet voice. The atmosphere in the room had dropped palpably.

Everyone looked extremely sad.

"Well, you asked." I said in an attempt at a lighthearted voice. "So now you know. Besides, what's done is done, and there's not point in getting upset about it. Cheer up you three."

"Yes ma'am." said James, giving me a mock-salute. We all laughed a little, Then Al said,

"You should be honored. you're the first person, aside from us," he gestured to himself and James, "That she's ever told. The fact you've earned her trust is quite an accomplishment, Malfoy."

A pink tinge appeared in his cheeks for a second, but then he shrugged his shoulders in a sort of 'thank you' gesture and said. "Glad to hear it."

"So Jamie," I said to break the silence, "Are Mum and Dad coming to fawn over my ill self anytime soon?"

"Oh, yeah, they should be down any minute."

"I had a thought." said Albus. "If James, thick as he is-"

"Oy!"

"-if James noticed something funny with Malfoy being in here was odd, then won't Mum and Dad-"

I gasped. "Oh no! D'you reckon they'll be all right with it, or-"

"Maybe I should leave." said Scorpius nervously.

"If you want to, Scor, go ahead. But eventually they'll have to be told."

"And I'd prefer not to be around when they are." He got up to leave, but the door to the Hospital Wing opened before he got halfway there.

"Lily!"

Al pulled up another chair for them. They rushed over, intent on making sure that I was okay, and thankfully didn't notice Scorpius who took this opportunity to try and sneak out of the Hospital Wing. But the sound of the door openeing made them turn around.

" You are Draco's son. Why are you in here?" said Dad.

"Erm, no reason." said Scorpius uncomfortably, before hurrying out the door as quickly as he could.

"Come back here and face the wrath of my parents, you coward!" James shouted after him.

I couldn't help it. I started laughing, then so did Al, and Jamie, soon we were all gasping for breath. Mum raised her eyebrows at us. "Did we miss something?"

"Oh, no." I said quickly.

"Why would he be facing our wrath?"

"Well-" began James, but I cut him off.

"Well, he's Malfoy, 'inee? So what are you doing at work Dad?" I tried changing the subject."

"Never mind, Lils, what exactly happened to you?"

"Didn't the Headmistress tell you?"

"Well she doesn't know everything that goes on outside of school boundaries. All she said was you were in duel with another student."

"Ooh, wait till you hear it dad," And James was off, explaining every little detail of the duel and what led up to it with great enthusiasm comparable to a Quidditch commentator.

**Well Scorpius escaped, and Lily recovered, and everything seems to be going well, what does that mean for our heroine? Read and Review! Author out!**


	14. An Illumination

**Hey, and welcome back everyone who has stuck with my story! I so glad to (figuratively) seee you all, and we have another chapter to read, so why are you still reading the Author's Note? Go!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter. Author out!**

"Finished reading?" asked Scor.

"Mm-hmm."

"Well that's good, I thought you would be going down to breakfast with the rest of team. First match of the season today and all."

"Ah! How could I have forgotten? Blasphemy!" I smacked my palm to my forehead. "I suppose you'll be supporting Slytherin?" I added.

"Oh I'll be doing more than that this year."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see." He grinned at me as I hurried out the door. I had to have breakfast, otherwise I wouldn't be on top of my game. I managed to catch up with James outside the Great Hall.

"On your A-game, Lils?"

"Yeah." My stomach squirmed. First match against Slytherin. I could _so_ do this.

"Good, oh and you probably already knew this, but Malfoy made the Quidditch team this year, so you'll be playing chaser-to-chaser against him. Glad you're ready. Good Luck!" James sped up to walk with Bones and Fred.

"Wait, what?" but he was already gone.

First match against Slytherin.. I gulped. Would I be able to play against Scorpius?

"Mount your broomsticks." said Madam Hooch.

My hands were shaking. Across the circle, Scorpius winked at me.

Then it hit me. This was just like Quidditch back home, against my brothers. Just another competition, and my chance to show up Scor at something else, because I was a Quidditch Goddess. At he was another enemy in this game. I smirked and narrowed my eyes.

**Scorpius POV**

She smirked! Now I had expected a lot of reactions, but that was not one of them. I didn't tell her because it was my thing, not hers, and I didn't want to be scoffed at. _No, _said a small part of my brain, _You didnt tell her because you thought she would be so shocked at seeing you there that she'd let her guard down and make a mistake. Easier to win that way. _I told that part of my brain to shut up.

But why had she smirked? Did she know something I didn't? Then I rememebered. That was the same smirk she wore whenever she was about to get revenge on her brother. I gulped. Our team was so dead.

Or.. I could play as ruthless as she would. It'd be just a little competition between friends, no harm in that. I smirked right back at her.

**Lily POV**

"Seventy-Twenty to Gryffindor!" shouted Eric form the Commentator's podium. I wheeled around to catch a pass aimed at me by Marlina. Weaving in and out of the other players, I noticed a Slytherin on my left and vaulted the Quaffle towards James, who scored.

"Eighty-Twenty to Gryffindor!"

"Fabulous Lily! But I think you've been going too easy on Malfoy."

"Too easy on-" I began, outraged, but had to duck and fly left as a bludger nearly hit me. Fred zoomed after it.

"And it's Marlina Robins with the Quaffle and- ouch, that had to hurt- now it's Malfoy with the Quaffle."

"I haven't been going too easy on him!"

"Prove it."

"All right, retrieve the Quaffle: maneuver 14-b."

"14-b? Are you sure?"

"Yup." We sped up, to reach Scorpius about halfway across the pitch.

"And Malfoy's got a Potter on his left, and the other on his right! This may be one of their famous -and barely legal- double maneuvers, and if it is, we know there's no way Malfoy can escape this one!"

I looked over at Scorpius. He was staring at me with disbelief etched on his face.

_Focus, Lily _I chastised myself.

I flew in front of him, then sharply braked, while James punched the Quaffle out of his hand and blocked him while I caught it. I shot off toward the goal posts. But someone was on my tail. I swerved and passed the Quaffle to James, who passed it to Marlina, who passed it back to me. We contiued this way, like were playing some bizarre childrens, game, all the while making our way to the Slytherin goal posts. The other players tried to intercept us, but we were too quick. I kicked the Quaffle into the goal with such ferocity that I nearly knocked their Keepers jaw off.

Meanwhile Lucy, according to the commentator, had seen the snitch. We all sort of half watched her streak toward it as we played. We didn't let our guard down of course, and everyone cheered wildly when she caught it.

I did a couple of loop the loops myself. We had won 240 to 20! On my way off the pitch and up to the common room, expecting the best party ever, I caught a glimpe of Scor's face. Something in his expression puzzled me, though I couldn't quite put my finger on it.

I dwelled on this until we got to Gryffindor tower, where the splendor of the party soon drove it out of my mind.

**Scorpius POV**

I watched her dance off the field with the rest of the Gryffindor team, crying "we won!" into the evening sky. Sighing, I followed the rest of the crowd at brisk walk, all I could think was _we lost._ Soon I caught up the rest of crowd again, as I glanced over at Lily, our eyes met. All of a sudden I felt a rushing in my head, and a sudden urge to run over there and twirl her around, celebrate with her. In that one instant, all my frustration and disappointment at losing vanished. I stopped dead.

Lil's happiness was like a catalyst, and all of a sudden the realization hit me like a Bludger to the head. It wasn't possible, I couldn't believe it, couldn't handle it. I ran off towards the lake and collapsed under a tree, and just stayed there, a fierce arguement raging in my head until I passed out from exaustion.

**Well somebody figured something out. This ought to get interesting, people in denial always are. Read and Review. Ciao!**


	15. A Question

**And we are back with another great chapter! This one's pretty long, which is why you had to wait. Author out!**

For the next few weeks I spent less and less time with Lily. At first, I tried to act like nothing had changed, but the atmosphere became increasingly awkward, so I found myself avoiding her. After a few days of this, she stopped trying to find me, and this development earned me an increasing amount of glares and mutterings from her brother and many cousins. When I did see Lily occasionally, she looked more and more unhappy and more often than not, she was being followed from a distance by those two, sometimes three girls who seemed up to something.

I was slowly sinking into a depression that consumed me entirely, so that on weekends I usually just sat in the common room, gazing listlessly off into space. Even my housemates noticed, and gave me a wide berth. That suited me just fine.

December 16th I happened to come out of one of my stupors to notice a gaudy gold leaflet pinned up on the notice board. _Christmas Ball _it said. A dance. Exactly the opposite of what I needed right now.

"Hi, Scorpius. Have you noticed there's a ball coming up?" I jumped. Andrea was standing right behind me.

"Hey Zabini."

"It's Andrea."

"Sure."

"I was thinking..." she batted her eyes at me. "We should go together."

I stared at her blankly. She seemed to lose a bit of her confidence.

"To the ball?"

"Oh! Well... let me think about it, and I'll talk to you... later." I trailed off vaugely. "Listen, I gotta go, okay?" And I dashed out of the common room as quick as I could.

When I finally stopped, I realised I was in front of the library. The moment I stepped through the door I spotted Lily at a table. I groaned and ducked behind a bookcase. I deliberated whether or not I should speak to her for a moment, then, just as I had decided to come out from where I was hiding, another bloke walked up and sat down next to her. I cursed under by breath.

He smiled at her and said something. She laughed. I gritted my teeth. How could she be talking to that smary idiot anyway? I strained to hear their conversation.

"..to the ball with me? I mean, if you don't aldeady have a date, that is."

"No, I don't. Actually-"

THUMP. In my shock I had knocked several books of the shelf. They both stared at the spot I had been standing a second ago. I held my breath, waiting. That idiot noticed nothing (big shocker there) but I was sure Lily had seen me. She continued to gaze at the spot where I had been for a few seconds, her eyes narrowwed.

Then she turned back to the thickhead she was with.

"I'd love to go with you, Eric."

She said yes. My blood was pounding in my ears. I felt rather dizzy. I slumped to the floor, my face in my hands. There was no hope for me. Not with that Eric- I snorted. What a stupid name- around.

"What are you doing on the floor?" I looked up. It was Rose Weasley.

"What do you want?" I asked.

"Oh that's real polite, Malfoy." she said in a huffy voice. "You haven't anwsered my question, though. Why are you on the floor?"

"What's the point in standing? Just a waste of time, like most things in life."

"What a right ray of sunshine you are, Malfoy." she said, sarcasm dripping from her tone.

"Just like the rest of the world." I muttered. she regarded me for a moment, a strange look her face.

Then she sighed. "Just suck up whatever it is that's bothering you and go talk to Lily. She may be able to put on a brave face, but she's just as depressed as you are."

"That would just make things worse. Trust me."

"How could it make things worse?"

"It really would. Besides, she doesn't need me, she's got Eric Jordan." I said the last words with disgust.

"But why would.." Her eyes widened. "Ha!"

"What?"

"Oh nothing." She smirked at me.

"You want me to talk to her? Fine, I will." I snapped. "But if it ends in disaster, don't blame me."

And I stomped off across the Library.

"Hey."

"Hello." she regarded me coldly.

"Listen, I know I've been a bit.. distant, but I-"

"Why are you here?"

"Sorry?"

"Why are you here talking to me? Wouldn't it be easier to, say, _spy on me_?" her eyes narrowed.

"Blimey, Lily, I wasn't trying to- I just overheard- I only- Lily, I'm really sorry" I finished miserably.

"All right." she sighed. "So are you still mad at me for beating you at quidditch?

I gaped at her. "I was never mad at you for that!"

"Then why haven't you been talking to me?"

"Well.." I faltered. "I can't tell you that."

"Why not? I thought we were friends."

"We were friends."

"So now we're not. I see."

"I just meant-" I sighed. "I don't want to be _friends _with you, Lily."

"Well, If you if you don't want to speak to me anymore, why did you come over here in the first place?"

"I never said I didn't want to speak to you! Where did you get that from?"

"You said you didn't want to be friends!"

"It's not the same thing. I'm _trying _to explain something, if you would get it through your thick head-"

"I AM NOT THICK!"

"WELL THERE'S SOMETHING WRONG WITH YOUR HEAD!"

"ARE YOU SAYING I'M MENTAL?"

"THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'M SAYING, POTTER!"

"You are IMPOSSIBLE!" and with that, she stomped flat-footed from the library, leaving me standing there alone.

I sighed. This had to be the worst day ever.

I walked slowly back down to the common room. But when I got there, I found Zabini waiting for me. I looked at her. She wasn't that bad, and she wouldn't glare at me like Lily would..

"Zab-Andrea." I called. She looked up.

"So, should I meet you at seven?"

She squealed. "Ooh, yes!" and ran over to where the other girls sat, and all of them started gossiping and giggling. I decided to go to bed.

**This concludes another chapter. It was actually kind of difficult, writing from his perspective for a whole chapter. Well, Read and Review! Author out!**


	16. A Reunion

**New chapter! I think I'm just as excited about posting these as you are about reading them.**

"Lily Lily Lily Lillee!" I heard a voice behind me as I headed up to the common room from Charms.

I turned around to see my cousin Rose. "Hi Rose."

"Is it true! I heard you were going to the dance with Eric!"

"Yeah, it is."

"Oh wow, I totally did not see that coming."

"Neither did I."

"Unfortunately, I do not have a date at the present time." her shoulders slumped.

"Oh Rose I'm sure-"

"Erm, Lily?" I jumped, then spun around so quickly I nearly fell over. Emily was standing behind me.

"Emily."

"Hi.. listen, I've been a right git these past few months, I acted totally smarmy and I'm really sorry- I never-"

"You can't make the things you said disappear, if that's what your trying to do."

"I know." she looked miserable.

My heart softened and I reached over and gave her a hug. Her eyes widened.

"You actually aren't mad at me?"

"Nah. Not anymore."

She smiled, and in that second I realised how much I missed her.

"Em I have so much to tell you!"

"Really? Who are you going to the dance with?"

"Eric Jordan."

She gasped. "Oh. You know, Lissa fancies him."

"She does?" I laughed. "Excellent. "

"It is not excellent! She'll be really mad."

"So?"

Emily sighed. "Lily, she been spreading nasty rumors about you, and she's looking for an excuse to attack you."

"I could duel her with one arm tied behind my back."

"And do you really think she will fight fair?" asked Rose.

"Blimey, why do you think it's such a big deal though?"

"Walk with me,you two." Rose led the way to the library.

"Why the library?"

"Because usually, no one comes in here." she smirked. "Except for Lily, and that bloke she hangs out with."

Emily gasped. "What?"

"I said I had a lot to tell you."

"Who is it?"

"It was Scorpius Malfoy."

"WHAT! Lily, that could've been really dangerous! His father and grandfather were death eaters, Remember? And besides, I thought you hated him? You two were always having a go at each other the first two months of school. How the hell did you two become friends!"

Wow. I didn't think I'd ever heard Emily swear before, let alone say that much in one go. "Well, It really started on train."

"The train? But- oh so that's where you went for two hours!"

"And about my brother, Al, I bet you've heard by now."

"I've heard rumors. That he's abroad, or dead, or on some secret mission to continue your dad's work, or-"

I cut her off. "He's just ill."

"Oh, well Lissa's telling everyone you poisoned him, and that's why he isn't here."

"What!"

"Continue on with what you were saying, Lily." Rose rushed in quickly.

"I was severely stressed out about him, which is why I took off. Anyway I planned to just sit alone for a while, maybe write poetry until I calmed down-"

"You actaully thought you could find an empty compartment? Oh, sorry Lily." I glared at her.

"So I finally found what I thought was an empty compartment, but turns out there was a certain Malfoy in there. I just decided to ignore him, but I think I started to cry or something because he asked me what the matter was."

"He did?"

"Well, I think his exact words were 'The look on your face is bothering me. you look like someone died for crying out loud.' but he said it like a question."

"How thoughtful of him." said Rose dryly.

"Well actually, he told me that-"

"I was being sarcastic."

"I know."

She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Okay, so what did he say?"

"Well I told him about Al, and he said he was really sorry, and talked about dealing with grief, and then I came back to the cabin leaving my notebook there, and he read it." I sighed. "Later.. he apologized. Said I was a brilliant writer, actually. And that time I broke my ankle he mended it for me."

"You broke your ankle!" They yelled at the same time.

"He mended for me. And when I dueled with- well, after it was over, he sat with me in the hospital wing the whole time. We were getting along so well."

"Were?"

"I don't talk to him anymore."

Rose frowned at me. "Why not? He was supposed to talk to you."

"Well he- Oy! What do you mean_ supposed to?_"

"Erm, I told him he should talk to you because you were feeling so bad, and-"

"Rose! Why did you have to interfere"

"You did talk to him though?" she looked anxiously at me.

"Oh we talked. He said he never wants to talk to me again and that I'm completely mental."

"What!"

"That jerk! What did you do?"

"Just walked away."

"Wait." Rose frowned. "How did the conversation go _exactly_?"

"He said 'I don't want to be friends with you any more' and I said 'Well if you never want to see me again-' and then he interrupted me and he said 'I said I didn't want to be friends with you anymore. That's not the same thing.' Explain that."

To my surprise, Rose nodded. "Makes perfect sense."

"How does that make sense?" asked Emily.

Rose smirked, then leaned in and whispered something in Em's ear. Emily jumped about three feet.

"Bloody Hell!"

"Emily, that is the second time you have sworn today, and you never swear."

"Well if people would stop surprising me-"

"What did she say to you?"

"She told me not to tell you. I mean, it's not about you, it's about Malfoy, and he'll tell you when he's good and ready."

I glared at Rose. She gave me a deadpan stare. Emily giggled.

"Now, I'm going to find you both a date." I said.

**The chapter is over. Not much happened, except for Emily's back. Ah well, we can't hope for Scorpius in every chapter. Author out!**


	17. An Explanation

**I'm back! And I'm posting another chapter despite the lackluster response to the last one. Reading better pick up soon or I'll stop posting at all. I mean it! Oh, and a shout-out to Skylan D. Water. Author Out!**

"You look great." Eric gaped up at me. I smiled.

I was wearing a floaty golden dress with little diamonds speckled across the skirt and white silk gloves. I had my hair pulled back in a twisted knot, except for two long curls framing my face. And to top it off mum had sent me the most beautiful diamond necklace.

Well he was sweet, even if he didn't have much of a way with words. "So do you." I said.

He grinned and offered me his arm. "Shall we head out then?"

All the ways down to the great hall we talked and laughed, nothing to serious, just lighthearted banter. It was easier than I thought it would be. Almost like second nature. I met Rose and Emily outside the doors. Rose was wearing a gray-green off the shoulder number and seemed to have found a date with a handsome boy I didn't recognize. Emily looked dazzling in an indigo silk dress, and next to her was-

"Hugo?" I yelped incredulously.

"As calm an imperturbable as ever, Lil." he joked. Emily giggled.

I shrugged. "Whatever. Just don't expect me to listen when you start gushing about how dreamy he is later." Emily turned red and started spluttering, much to everyone's amusement.

Then I realized that for the first time in a long time I was happy. Well, moderately cheerful anyway, which was almost as good. Then I turned around.

"Malfoy. What are you doing here?"

"To anyone half-witted that would be obvious."

"Not really." cut in Hugo. "See, to usually going to a dance implies that you have someone to go with."

"And I highly doubt any girl would want to go with you." sniffed Emily, who for some unknown reason seemed to take Malfoy being here as a personal insult.

"Scorpius, where did you go?" rang a voice, and a very pretty, curvy brunette came around the into view.

Rose started, and looked back and forth from the girl to Malfoy with apparent disgust. I wondered why that was.

"Don't leave me like that, why did you-" She caught sight of us. "Oh. Are _they _bothering you?" she said in a tone that made her opinion of the six of us painfully obvious.

"You need to learn some respect-" started Rose but I cut her off.

"Do not acknowledge _it,_ Rose."

"Oh..you're right. Sorry."

Sneering at us, she led Scor- no, Malfoy away with very snide sounding muttering. I rolled my eyes.

"There goes my evening." I whispered to myself.

"Would you like dance?" I looked up. Eric was standing next to me expectantly. Rose and Emily were already gone.

"Oh, sure." and I followed him out to the floor where we performed and odd sort of back and forth shuffle. It was sort of nice. But the pleasant, floaty feeling I had gotten when he asked me to the ball was gone. Something was missing, though I wasn't sure what. Suddenly, I wished I could be anywhere but here.

"Eric, uh, I'm going to go get us drinks, okay? Be back in a sec." and I slipped away as quick as I could.

"What is wrong with me?" I wondered aloud. "My life is going great. I should feel just as great." But I didn't.

"But you don't?" asked the person next to me. I looked up.

"Malfoy."

He winced. "Look, I wanted to apologize."

"Don't bother." I hissed. "I think you made your opinion of me pretty clear. So apology not accepted."

"Lily, please."

"Just get away from me." In response to this, he reached over, grabbed my arm with a vise-like grip, and dragged me out into the corridor.

"Let me go!"

"No. Not until you hear me out." He looked so determined as he said this. It scared me.

He must have seen something flit across my face in that second before regained composure, because he backed away quickly. "I'm so sorry if I frightened you. But I don't think I could stand you being mad at me."

I regarded him coolly. "You have sixty seconds. Explain."

He swallowed. "I don't hate you Lily. Far from it. But I knew that you being friends with me might damage your friendships with everyone else. And I wanted you to be happy, so I thought breaking off our friendship was the only logical solution. I guess I got carried away. You don't hate me now, do you?"

I gazed at him and felt an odd combination of the desire to hit him and the desire to laugh. The corner of my mouth twitched. "No, I don't hate you, you dolt. But you are so stupid! How could you think i would care what they would think? What kind of friends would do that?" He gave me a look.

"Okay, so I was a bad judge of character. But really, I was eleven when I met them, and the lot I hang out with now are a right side nicer."I punched his shoulder. "But we can talk later. Our dates will be wondering where we are."

He grimaced. "My date. Right."

"If you didn't like her, why'd you ask her?" I felt annoyed by this, though I wasn't sure why.

"She asked me."

"Then you at least be kind to her while you're with her."

He smiled. "You're right of course. See you around."

I grinned and felt a weight lift off my chest. I had my best friend back.

**Okay, so they're friends again, and soon they'll be more than that. I swear. But first you must read & review. Author out!**


	18. A Holiday

**Oh, I forgot to put a disclaimer in the last chapter! Please forgive me, Ms. Rowling! *groveling at feet* I don't own harry potter. just my laptop. This chapter was supposed to be up before Christmas. oh well. **

**I"M SORRY YOU GUYS! My little, well, let's call it a temper tantrum was unacceptable. I never will do that again. i will keep writing, so, yeah okay moving on.  
**

"Aw, you guys. i can't believe you can't come for Christmas, Em."

"The holidays are family time, you know that."

"That doesn't mean I can't miss you." we laughed. I gave one last hug before I ran over to my parents. "Mum! Dad!"

"Lily!"

"Oh look at you! You've grown since we left for school. Do your robes still fit?"

"Huh? Oh, they fit fine."

"You've lost your innocent face, lily." said a voice. I turned around.

"Aunt Luna! What do mean?"

"Well my dear, when you left you had an innocent look to your face."

"Mum said I looked like a _real teenager_." I said, putting air qoutes around the words.

Dad laughed and Aunt Luna smiled. "Oh you did. But you had an air about you- did you still see the world in lines of good and bad?" I nodded.

"I thought so. How do you see the world now?" Just then James ran up.

"Hey, you squares. Hey, Aunt Luna."

"Hello James." said Aunt Luna.

"Squares?" said mum, raising an eyebrow.

James shifted guiltily from one foot to the other. mum generally had that effect on people. I once saw her stare down the minister and win. My brother had no chance. but luckily Dad stepped in.

"Um, dear, now don't be too harsh with him. It was only an errant comment after all."

It was blatant disrespect towards his parents."

"And Lily."

"Hey!"

"You are only making things worse for yourse- Oh no."

"What is it?"

"I've turned into my mother." At that we all laughed outright, until she gave us the look. Then we shut up.

When we reached the car I recieved another surprise.

"Al!"

"The one and only."

On the way home we kept up a constant chatter that gave the car a very cheery atmosphere and eventually annoyed Mum, who needs quiet so she doesn't wreck the quote on quote "confounded muggle contraption".

"So is everyone staying at our house this year?"

"Yep, all your cousins, and Teddy and his kids."

"But they're just babies!"

"Exactly. So I need you to be quiet and considerate, okay?"

"Did you think about that sentence before you said it to the kids?" Dad gave her a bemused look.

...

"Okay, point taken, but.. can you three at least try to behave? A little?"

"What about everyone else, though?"

"Hopefully they will too."

I snorted. "And, uh, mum? Where is everyone going to sleep?"

Turns out, I shouldn't have asked.

* * *

Roxanne was snoring. Loudly. And I could not sleep for the third night in a row. The house was packed with family. Lucy, Molly, Rose, Roxanne, and Dominique were in my room. James had given up his room for Teddy, Victoire and their kids, so he was crashing with Al in his room, accompanied by Hugo, Fred, Louis and Lorcan and Lysander. They were here because aunt Luna was here, sleeping in the living room with her husband.

The house was so crowded and so noisy, the only time I could have any peace was at night. So instead of lying in bed listening to Roxy snore, I went for a walk under the stars.

The night was cloudless and beautiful. Something like this had to be shared.

"If only Scorpius were here everything would be perfect." I murmured.

"Would it? I'll tell him you said that."

"Rose! You are awake."

"Yeah. Want a hot Chocolate?" she held out mug.

"Sure."

We drank in silence, staring up at the sky. "The moon is full. Which means Teddy will be awake."

"Yeah."

"You don't want to talk?" I asked.

"I'm enjoying the silence. It's a rare opportunity."

"Ah. That makes sense. Hmm, my cup is empty."

"Mine too."

There were a few more moments where we didn't speak. Our breath made puffy white clouds that disappeared into the chilly night air.

"When I passed the boys room, Al was awake."

"Probably wishes he could be out here."

"Think he's still to delicate for the cold?" Rose heard the pain in my voice.

"Lily, he's getting much better. You worry to much."

"I know."

"So what else is wrong?" she said as she studied my face.

I sighed "I miss Scorpius." To my surprise, she threw her head back and laughed.

"What?" I asked indignant.

"Oh nothing." she smirked at me. "Which reminds me, I have a letter to send. Goodnight." she turned and walked back to the house.

I sighed. Some clouds drifted in front of the moon. I shivered and followed Rose back.

When i got to got the bedroom I cast a silencing charm over Roxy. I needed my beauty sleep.

* * *

"Lily wake up. Your mother needs help with the Christmas decorations."

I opened one eye to see aunt Hermoine leaving the room. I yawned and sat up.

"thats right. Its christmas eve." I said aloud.

Decorating took forever. the rest of day was a last minute frenzy. And I was stuck in the middle as no one else seemed responsible enough to help. Thankfully Grandma showed up in the evening and saved me from utter exhaustion.

Thank Merlin for small miracles.

Christmas was explosion of presents. I truly may not have any space left in my room to sleep in. Which is fine by me. I'm just glad that when it was over everyone got out of our house. The rest of holiday flew by, and before I knew it I was back on the train with _both_ my brothers.

I was happy, really and truly.

**Okay. thats the end of the chapter. Goodbye, see you later, Author Out!**


	19. A Reassurance

**I'm back from my 2 month vacation, and looking at my stories, I realized that I hadn't updated in almost a year. Which makes it official: I really suck. Sorry guys!**

"I have never been so happy to go back to school in my life." I sighed as I watched the snow fall outside our compartment window.

"Well in six months you'll be saying the exact opposite." Hugo grinned at me. I grinned back.

"Hmm." Em raised her eyebrows at me.

"What? What's that look for?"

"Are you sure you won't miss _anything _about Hogwarts?" I thought of Scorpius and blushed.

Al snickered.

"Shut it." I snapped at him.

Hugo looked at the three of us. "Did I miss something?"

"You missed the the beginning of her growing closeness with Scorpius Malfoy." Emily giggled.

"What? Malfoy?" Hugo stared at me as if I'd lost my mind. Albus, however, looked alarmed.

"How close, exactly?" He raised his eyebrows at me.

"Not _that _close!" I threw a pasty at his head.

"You know, Rose ought to be back from the prefect carriage soon."

**Scorpius POV**

"Hey" I turned around. It was Rose.

"Can I help you?"

"Are you finished with your Prefect duties?"

"Yes,why?"

"Well, so am I. Since I was going to go sit with my family, and you haven't seen Lily in a bit, I thought you might want to come with me, because I don't remember if she told you where she was sitting." She said this so fast it took me a minute to work it out in my head.

"Well?"

"Yeah. I mean, yes I would."

As we walked back to the compartment, we started getting funny looks from people.

"What's with them?"

"Well how many times have actually spent time with anyone in my family in a public place?"

"Huh. None, actually. I hadn't realized that."

The conversation lapsed into an akward silence. "Did you actually read the letters I sent you?"

"Yes I did."

"Are you going to talk to Lily like I suggested?"

"Well of course I'm going to talk to her. We're friends aren't we?"

"That's not what I meant."

"You are a very nosy girl, Rose Weasley."

She glared at me. "Well you're-"

"Hey." I held up my arms in defense. "I wasn't looking to start a fight or anything."

* * *

**Lily Pov**

"So where is Rose anyway?" asked Al. "Does she usually take this long to get-"

"So looked at him, and I said, James, did you really this you could sneak something that ostentatious into your house without your mum noticing? And he says to me, he says 'My mum isn't going to punish me. She is so easygoing, and she wouldn't realize if I stood in front of her with an armful of illegal goods."

"She was behind him wasn't she?"

"Of course!" We heard laughter.

The door opened. And my eyes almost fell out of my head right there.

_That is not Rose and Scor. No way. I must be imagining it._

"Hey, I asked him if he could sit in here with us. That's okay, Right?" She settled in the corner next to her brother, and Scor sat between me and Al.

"So Scor, how-how was your holiday?" I asked, trying to ignore the strange desire I had to punch Rose in face.

"Hmm? Oh, fine, I guess." He shrugged.

"That's nice." I said in a falsely cheery voice.

"Uh, Lily, are you okay?"

"Yes, I am, why do you ask?"

"Because you look like your about to be sick."

I glared at her. "Yeah, thanks for that, Rose." I stood up. "You know, it's a little crowded in here, I think I might need some fresh air."

I practically ran out of the compartment, down car after car, until I reached the place where they store the luggage. It was chilly in here. I shivered.

_Why was I so upset? It's not as if Rose and I weren't both allowed to be friends with him. Nothing wrong with that. No reason to angry. none at all._

"Lily."

I looked up.

"S-scor. W-what are d-doing in h-h-her-re?"

"I came to see how you were doing? Lily, what's the matter?"

"N-nothing."

He put his coat over my shoulders and we sat together silently for a few minutes.

"Are you sure you don't want to talk?"

"I'm sure."

There was a pause.

"Why are you ashamed of me?" I hadn't meant to say it, it had just slipped out. He stared at me with wide eyes.

"What?"

Tears welled up in my eyes. "You were talking to Rose. Laughing. Having fun. On a train full of people who could see you both together, but we've never spent any time together except when there's no one else around!" The words were spilling out of my mouth faster than I could stop them. Tears were pouring down my cheeks. "And the only explanation I can think of is that you're ashamed to be my friend!" I dissolved into sobs at this. He was silent.

"Lily. Look at me. You are the closest friend I've ever had. I trust you. I could never be ashamed of you. The only thing I'm ashamed of right now is the fact that I made you cry." He smiled at me, but his eyes were sad. "Can you forgive me?"

I threw my arms around him, but he stiffened up, so I backed off. "Sorry."

He looked rueful. "Don't be. Now I believe we aren't actually allowed to be back here, so we should return to our compartment."

"Oh? Since when are you a strict rule follower?"

"If you stay in here, you'll freeze." So I followed him out.

"Oh, and Lily?"

"Yeah?"

"Could I have my jacket back?"

**Okay, so my writing's a little rusty. Sue me. Or don't, really I'd rather have the second one. Author out!**


	20. An Ode to Toast

**New chapter up! I hope you enjoy it, and I hope I don't get sued because I don't own Harry potter.**

"Tragic. Just tragic." James wiped a tear away from his eye.

"James quit whining."

Fred sniggered.

"Don't mock me, Bones. It was a perfectly good piece of toast, I'm still mourning my loss."

"Oh for Merlin's sake, James, just eat something else! Besides, everyone in the Great Hall is staring at us now."

"But toast at breakfast is a Potter family tradition!"

"It is not." came a voice across the hall. Albus was standing in the doorway, a sheepish grin on his face. "Well, uh, I'm back."

Bones stood up. She looked like she had been stunned. "Al?"

"Hey Bones."

She ran across and threw herself into his arms. After several minutes of very public snogging, they came and sat down with us.

James just stared at them, his mouth open.

"When did this happen? And why are you-" he pointed accusingly at Rose, "-Not surprised?"

"Already knew about it."

"When did you get back to school?" asked Bones.

"Last week, same as everyone else."

"Then why haven't I seen you yet?" she scowled at him.

"Well, when I got off the train, Madame Pomfrey wanted to make sure I was fit for lessons." He grimaced.

"Just when you thought you were through with bed rest, eh little brother?" We laughed.

"Ahem."

I looked up. Scorpius was standing next to me. "Budge up, will you?"

"Oh that's polite." I grumbled, but nevertheless I moved over. He sat down next to me. Everyone in the hall stared at him.

"Scor, what are you doing?"

"Oh, nothing particularly important. Just bringing shame to my family and alienating my entire house by sitting with you. " He smirked at me. I blushed and turned away.

"Shame on your family?" Fred snorted. "They're already ostracized by most of the wizarding world, knowing us could only redeem them."

"Not the way they see it."

There was an uncomfortable pause. "What happened to all the toast over here?"

"See!" shouted James. "Even he realizes its a tragedy!"

I giggled. "Love to stay and chat, but I've got to go study."

The boys looked at me like I was crazy. "But it's Saturday."

"That was my nice way of trying to get away from you."

"Oi!"

I laughed as I walked away.

* * *

"Scor." I was tearing up now. "You didn't need to get yourself hurt like that."

"I had to protect you." he grinned weakly.

"You could have saved yourself, I'm not so important that you had to-"

"Lily." He looked at me, and the humor in his eyes was gone. "Nothing is more important to me than you." His lips met mine, and suddenly I lost all coherent thought. This was what heaven must feel like, with strong arms caressing my back and hips. I pulled at him, running my fingers through his hair and-

I sat up gasping. I had fallen asleep in front of the common room fire.

"Lil?" I looked around.

"Hey Rose."

"Have a nice nap?" I flushed.

She raised her eyebrows at me.

"What?"

"That isn't the general response when someone asks you how you slept."

"What isn't?"

"Turning redder than a tomato."

"Oh. I just had a- that is, I was just dreaming when you woke me."

"About what?"

My face got even redder. "Nothing important."

She smiled at me knowingly. "Well, I thought you might want to be woken before quidditch practice started without you. Anyways, I'll be in the library if you, say, need to talk about anything later."

"Oh. Right. Well, see you, then."

I collapsed back in my chair. I thought about what just happened for a second. This was new. "Okay, so maybe it was a fluke. The dream didn't necessarily mean anything." Just because I dreamed about kissing Scor-

As soon as I thought those words, a warm tingly feeling spread throughout my extremities. I grinned for a second.

"Or maybe it does mean something." I looked at my watch.

"Holy Butterbeer! I'm going to be late for practice!" I sprang up and rushed out the portrait hole.

After practice, the snow still hadn't melted, and the seven of us had a rather exhausting snowball fight on the grounds. We came in a good deal happier than when we left, which was saying something. I saw Scor heading down the stairs. He waved at me. I waved back.

Sunday came clear and bright, The sun throwing a blinding glare off the snow.

Apparently Scor was going to sit with us at breakfast every day.

"Hey Lily." He winked at me.

I blushed, put my elbow in the butter dish, and knocked a platter of toast onto the floor.

"Now look what you made me do!" I snapped at him. "That was good toast, that was."

Al came over to the table "Oh bugger." he sighed. "I was hoping eat some of that."

"Blame him." I pointed an accusing finger at Scorpius, who looked like he didn't know whether to laugh or not. He settled with a sort of half smirk that made me go all tingly again.

**I thought we needed a happy chapter, so I wrote this for you. And yes it does advance the plot line as well, which is a bonus. read and review. Author out!**


	21. A Rescue

**Helloo everybody! It just warms my heart reading the messages you sent me. Sorry this chapter took a bit longer than a week to complete, but I had a teensy bit of writers block. Couldn't be avoided. Any way, I don't own harry potter, and good reading to you!**

**Lily POV**

I was sitting by the fire, finishing a letter to Mum, when a shadow fell across my parchment.

"Hello Lily." said a steely voice behind me.

"Lissa." I glared at her.

"I just wanted to tell you how glad I am your brothers back at school." she smiled sweetly, but it didn't quite reach her eyes. "We all missed him so, and I for one, am just thrilled he isn't poisoned."

"Why would he be poisoned?" I asked suspiciously, knowing I probably didn't want to hear the answer.

"Well we all know how jealous you are of him and-"

"JEALOUS!" The whole common room went silent.

"You know, because he's the favorite." she said with relish.

"Who's favorite, exactly?" I growled.

"Well, your parent's favorite for one. They did seem to talk about how talented and well behaved he was when I was there last summer. And He just has so many friends here at school. Not to mention the press adores him, because he looks just like his father. You're only the little sister after all, it's natural to be jealous."

"Actually Lissa, I think its you who's jealous," I said, fuming. "I mean, you've always wanted to be rich and famous. That's why you layed it on so thick around my family, right? You were looking for press attention?"

She snarled and whipped out her wand, but before she could utter a word I was at her throat.

"Do you really want to have a go at me again, Lissa? You know how well that worked last time."

She slapped me across the face.

The sting of it shocked me for a second, but then I was all business.

"Reducto!"

"Tarantellegra!" but I was too quick for her. "Protego!"

"Everte Statum. Lingaugeo!" She lay on the floor, unable to speak, but glaring at me with more hatred than I ever would have thought possible.

"Now if you'll excuse me, I have better things to do." and I walked out of the common room.

* * *

The second match of the season took place in a blizzard, and we were playing against Ravenclaw. After twenty minutes I had only scored one goal, and I couldn't even see the other players. Bits of ice pelted my face like knives, and breathing had become difficult. _Our only hope, _I thought bitterly, _is that Lucy catches the snitch soon, otherwise we're sunk._

Something came soaring towards me out of the white, and instinctively, I caught it. It was the quaffle. If I could find my way to the goal posts, I could score. But I was virtually blind here, and vulnerable. Then, a break in the sleet. I saw my goal and sped towards it, staying my course even when the wall of white completely overwhelmed my senses and blinded me. There was the outline of the goal posts! I hurled the Quaffle towards it and crossed by fingers. Then I heard the telltale bell and- "GRIFFINDORS SCORE!"

After that, the snowfall increased exponentially and it was all I could do to keep from being blown away.

Vaguely, I heard the roar of the crowd as Lucy caught the snitch. I knew I should try to land, but the wind was pushing me back. And my vision was fading...

The rest of the team had gathered on the ground.

"C-c-can we p-pl-lease g-g-get ins-side?" asked Fred.

"No. In weather conditions like this, it's safest if we wait and all go in together." Five minutes passed. Ten. Fifteen.

"Oh," Marlina bit her lip. "Lily, where are you?"

Madame Hooch was hurrying towards them. "Why are you lot still on the pitch? The game's far since over."

"Lily hasn't come down yet. We're worried about her."

Her bow furrowed. "Well I'll send someone to look for her, but you better get inside."

Just then, Scorpius and Rose came towards them. "Where's Lily? She was supposed to meet me and Al after the match."

"We don't know."

_"You don't know?"_

"She may have passed out on her broom." Rose suggested.

Scorpius whipped around and glared at her. "Explain. Now."

"Lily has trouble with hypothermia." Rose said breathlessly. "She can't handle being in the cold too long or she'll freeze."

"What?" Scorpius said in a panicky voice "We have to find her, we have to get her down NOW!"

"We don't know where she is." said Rose impatiently. "So it is impossible in this blizzard for us to _go get her. _Madame Hooch is sending out a search party and-"

But Scorpius wasn't listening. He had grabbed a broom leaning up against the shed and taken off into the storm.

"SCORPIUS!" But he was gone.

"As soon as he was up in the air he blown off course, being battered with snow and sleet and wind to the point where he could barely remember why he was there. But he had to find Lily. He had to. If something happened to her-

_Don't even think about it_. he told himself. Then he saw her. She was about twenty feet above him, twisting and lolling about in the wind. As he flew up, he saw her hands slip off the handle of her broom.

"NO!"

He shot up as quickly as he could. He _had_ to catch her. He _had _to.

FLUMP.

She was lighter than he thought she would be. Her skin was blue-white and frosted over. For a heart stopping moment he thought she wasn't she shivered and he breathed a sigh of relief.

_I have to get her down to the ground. _He thought.

But where was the ground? Scorpius realized he couldn't see anything, and not a moment later, the wind decided the was going to use the two of them to play catch. He fought against it as well as he could, but he could feel himself being blown off course.

"No- have to- get-" and then he was pinwheeeling towards the ground, and he heard someone scream, and everything went black.

* * *

**Lily POV**

"I can't believe I fainted." I complained.

"It's not your fault." Scor said kindly.

"Yeah, but it's something an old bird would do. I'm supposed to be tougher than that." I shuddered.

He sniggered. "Since when have been tough?" He saw the look on my face. "Kidding."

"Can we please talk about something else?"

"How about the duel you had with your ex-friends?"

"Winning that duel only increased their anger and resolve, you know."

I glared at him, then shrugged. "Well, you can't have everything."

"On the contrary," He smirked at me. "I _do _have everything."

"And that's not arrogant at all." I scoffed.

"Of course it isn't. Because it's true."

"You know, you're on really thin ice here."

"Am I?" He looked at the floor underneath him. "I hadn't noticed."

"You are very lucky this hospital wing is supervised, or I would hex you senseless."

He looked at me with a rather alarmed expression "You wouldn't hex a fellow patient, would you?"

I grinned at him, but before I could say anything, the door burst open.

"You're awake!" Rose ran into the room, along with James, Albus, and- my heart skipped a beat- _my parents._

"Would you two stop coming up to the school every time I get injured." I scoffed.

Mum smiled at me. "Why don't you tell us what happened."

"This had to be the worst blizzard hogwarts has ever seen-" I started.

Through the next five minutes or so, the four of us took turns explaining the game and what happened after from thier point of view, up until Rose was saying she had come down to the pitch to find me. James help her hand to stop her.

"Someone," he said staring at Scor pointedly. "Is keeping very quiet about their part in all this."

Mum and Dad turned to stare at him. He looked rather uncomfortable.

"Oh, well, it was nothing that important." he shifted nervously.

"Oh, I'm so glad you think saving my life is unimportant." I huffed in mock agitation.

"You saved her life?"

"Yeah.."

And without warning, mum rushed over to his cot and buried him in a hug. "You saved my daughter's life! Oh, you know you are welcome at our home anytime. That is, if your family will allow it." She looked at Dad for support, and he nodded.

"Any friend of my children's is welcome whenever they wish."

"Cool." Al said and we grinned at each other.

**W00t! Another chapter finished! I wanted to get a chance to let Harry and Ginny know what was going on, just not in a 'Dear Mum, Guess what i'm friends with Scorpius Malfoy!' kind of way. I wasn't planning on doing that this chapter, but I'm glad it worked. Read and Review! Author Out!**


	22. A Prelude

**So, no new reviews? Oh well. I might go back and rewrite the ending of the last chapter. I wasn't really satisfied with it, I just wanted to get it online. Here's the next one in the meantime. **

Rose, Al, Emily and I were studying together.

We didn't usually study with Rose around, as she would often correct us in the middle of our sentences, or scoff at us when we got something wrong, which after a while gets a bit wearing.

"We ought to go to lunch soon." Em said, closing her defense book with a snap.

Rose sighed reluctantly. "Well I suppose so." and she began putting her books with a certain mournfulness that made it difficult not to laugh.

As we climbed out the portrait hole into the corridor, I saw Scorpius waiting. He grinned when he saw me and I suddenly felt like I had been hit with the jelly-legs jinx.

"Hey Lily."

"Hey."

"D'you want to walk down the grounds with me?"

"Right now?"

"Oh, well you know I was asking because it's such a nice day out, a bit cold, but-"

"No, I-I have to- I can't, sorry."

"Oh" he looked rather disappointed at this and slouched out.

Rose looked over at Al. "You know why don't you go down to lunch. I need to talk with this lot."

"About what?"

"Girl stuff."

He looked positively alarmed at that, and scampered off.

"What's going on Lily?"

"Going on?"

"Between you and Scorpius?"

"Well, lately I- that is, sometimes.." I blushed.

"Lily, I know you fancy him, it's obvious really."

"She does?" Emily squawked.

"Then you see my problem."

"What problem?"

"How can I possibly keep pretending everything's the same now? I'm sure he'll figure it out soon."

"Of course he won't. But maybe you should just tell him."

"Are you mental? He won't want anything to do with me."

"Well.." her shoulders were shaking, as if she was struggling from collapsing in laughter. Emily though, started giggling like mad.

"Don't laugh! It isn't funny!"

"Seriously, though, if you want him to fancy you-" started Emily.

"Not bloody likely." I muttered.

"But you do want him to?"

"Of course."

"Then you have act like yourself."

"That's true." I paused "D'you think he's still on the stairs?"

"Go!" shrieked Em. "Go catch him!"

"Scor!" I yelled, taking the stairs two at a time. "Wait, I-" I paused to catch my breath and he looked round at me.

"What?"

"I changed my mind. I'd love to walk with you, just let me grab a tad to eat first."

"Oh, brilliant!" he beamed at me.

* * *

The lake was frozen over and sparkled in the sunlight to the point of blindness.

"It's lovely, isn't it?"

"I suppose."

I looked at him, brow furrowed. "You seem distracted."

"A bit, yeah."

I took step back, slipped, and landed on the ice. Scor didn't laugh, but he did watch me stumble a bit before trying help up.

Which turned out to be a mistake, because he immediately fell over as well. After some great difficulty we managed to stand up and wobbled our way toward the shore.

"Why anyone would want to go ice skating is beyond me."

"What?"

"Oh, its a muggle thing Grandad told me about."

He looked slightly amused."What exactly is it?"

"They strap blades to their feet and go sliding around on the ice or something."

"...Interesting." He said in a tone that made me laugh. "Can we talk?"

"What were doing before?"

"This is.. important."

I studied his face for a minute. He seemed a bit embarrassed, but completely serious.

"Lily." He paused and bit his lip. "I wanted to ask you something.**"**

**You know, I think I'll just end the chapter here. Sorry it's so short. But this is a nice stopping point don't you think? Read and Review. Ta!**


	23. A Beginning

**I'm back! With another chapter, and since I have been gone, a lot of things have happened. but you don't cre about that, you just want the next chapter! how many people actually read the not at the top, anyway? **

**SSJJ92: **Yes I _know _it was too short, I apologize for that at the end of the last chapter. Anyway, here's an XL chapter for you.

***Disclaimer* I do not own Happy Potter, nor any elements in the Wizarding world *Disclaimer***

His eyes bore into mine with an intensity that I had never seen before. He was very close to me, reminding me remarkably of one of my daydreams when he ...

I blushed and turned away. "Scor.."

"Listen, I've been wanting to tell you this for a while really, I just couldn't bring myself to. I know I haven't known you that long, and I know I've been a bit of an arse sometimes, but-"

"You're far too hard on yourself. You've been a wonderful friend." I said kindly.

He bit his lip. "Yes, well, the thing is, I was hoping-"

"There you two lovebirds are!" James was striding across the snow at us.

I groaned. "James, why are you so annoying?"

"I've been looking for you. The Headmistress is furious. What did you do, Lily?"

"Nothing? What makes her think I would do anything?"

"Well you better tell her that before she demolishes half the castle. It sounded pretty serious."

"All right. Where is she?"

"In the hospital wing."

I dashed off as quick as I could go. The hospital wing? What if Emily was hurt? or Rose? or Al? A knot formed in the pit of my stomach. As burst through the doors Professor McGonagall turned to me, eyes flaming.

"Explain yourself,Miss Potter!" she shrieked.

"Professor?" I was scared witless, but I didn't show it.

"This young lady here is grievously injured. And her friend tells me you are the cause of it!"

She gesticulated madly towards the bed to her left. And when I looked over, I saw-

_Lissa. Smirking at me. Oh Liss, would you really go this far to get revenge? Would you really hurt one of your friends?_

For it was Altanta lying in that bed, looking as pale as death.

**Scorpius POV**

"So what exactly were you talking about?" James Potter raised an eyebrow at me.

As well as I can usually hide my emotions, a pink tinge appeared on my cheeks.

"Well?" He looked at me expectantly.

_Maybe he didn't notice. after all, he could be rather dense._

But apparently he had, because his eyes widened and his grin was replaced with a snarl.

"If you so much as hold her hand Malfoy, I swear I will-"

"Hey!" I held up my arms in defense "We're only friends."

"But you fancy her, don't you."

I thought about how to say it for a second. Knowing James Potter, a direct approach was probably best. The bloke was about as cunning as a troll. "Well, frankly, yes I do."

He glared at me. "Don't even think about asking her out-"

"Actually I was going to. And there's really nothing you can do about it."

"Oh really? We'll see about that." he pulled out his wand.

Just then, Fred Weasley showed up, gasping for breath.

"James, I'm so sorry, mate."

About what?"

"About your sister getting expelled."

"Expelled!"

"Apparently she attacked somebody. That's why Head Minnie was so furious."

"Lily wouldn't do that." I snapped. Then I started of quickly towards the castle. i had to make sure Lily wasn't expelled. I couldn't let that happen.

"Hey!" I heard someone shouting after me. "Hey, wait!"

**Lily POV**

"Professor-" my throat was suddenly quite dry. "Professor, I can explain-"

"You think you can just _explain _this? Oh yes, I'm sure you had a perfectly good reason for _attacking my best friend_!"

"But I didn't-"

"Of course you did! I saw you! You attacked her when she didn't have a wand! And then you- you-" She hid her face in her hands, shoulders shaking. Anyone else might have mistaken it for tears, but I knew she hiding her laughter.

"McGonagall straightened up, looking furious. "Well Miss Potter, since you show no remorse for your actions, I have no choice but to -"

The door to the hospital wing burst open and Scor appeared looking frantic.

"You can't expel Lily!"

"And why is that, Mr. Malfoy?"

"Because Lily never attacked that girl."

Lissa gave a derisive laugh. "You have no proof. I was a witness!"

"And just when did you witness this?"

"An hour ago just after lunch." She answered promptly.

"That's odd, because I distinctly recall her being with me at that time."

"With you?" Lissa repeated, looking alarmed.

"Yes, Clark, with me." he scoffed at her, and I felt a sudden rush of affection for him.

"Thanks, Scor." I whispered and squeezed his hand. He smiled at me.

"Well," said Lissa, casting about nervously, "It was all so shocking, I can't be sure of the time. It might have been an hour before lunch-"

I cut her off. "I was studying an hour before lunch."

She sneered at me "Can anyone prove that?"

"Yeah." said a voice behind me. "I can."

I spun around. "Rose!" she gave me a hug.

"I was helping Lily study that whole time." She glared at Lissa. "So you might want to come up with a better lie, Clark."

"You lied, Miss Clark? McGonagall's lips were white. Never a good sign. I grinned.

"Well, In that case, you'd better start considering telling me the truth." she barked. Then James sprinted through the doors.

"IT WASN'T LIL, I SWEAR IT! SHE'D NEVER-" He stopped at the looks on our faces.

"I know it was not your sister who caused this accident, Mr. Potter."

"You do?"

"A little slow on the uptake James." I snickered. He glared at me.

Madame Pomfrey bustled over.

"Headmistress, if you're going to interrogate the students, will you do it outside? The girl needs a healing!"

"Yes, of course Poppy." She ushered the five us out of the hospital wing, then turned to Lissa.

"Miss Clark. A word. In my office."

"She's gonna get in trouble." James said in a sing-song voice.

"Very mature James." The three of us laughed as James pouted.

"You know, I think I'm going to go find Al." Rose said. "Come on, James."

"What? I'm not leaving those two-Ow! All right, all right." He grumbled as she dragged him away.

"You know, your family can be very interfering." Scorpius said looking rather bemused.

"Tell me about it." We laughed together for a minute.

"Scor?"

"Yeah?"

"What was it you were going to ask me before," I gestured vaguely. "All of this?"

He flushed, and was silent for a minute. I waited. I knew I had to be patient if I wanted him to tell me what it was that was so important. He sighed.

"Lily, you are the most amazing girl I've ever met. You're witty, and intelligent, and beautiful, and I-" His face was fiercely pink now. "And for almost as long as we've been friends I've wanted to ask you, well-" He paused, embarrassed.

And I was hit with an epiphany. _Maybe, he hasn't been acting strangely because he noticed I was being awkward. _I thought. _Maybe he likes me just as much as I like him. Merlin, I'm such an Idiot._

So I did what any bold Gryffindor girl would do. I leaned up and kissed him.

His lips were warm and soft, and he smelled so good that I had to breath in to take in the warmth of of his skin, his touch, to know that it was actually real. I ran my fingers through his hair and down his back. He pulled me closer to him and I whimpered, the feeling inside me getting stronger and-

"Oi!" I pulled away. Al was standing about ten feet from us, looking thoroughly put out.

"That's my sister you're groping Malfoy."

"You stay out of this." I snapped.

"Fine. But _you _have to tell mum and dad, I'm not saying anything." He shrugged and wandered away. I stuck my tongue out at him as he left.

Scor grinned. Then he kissed me again, gently and a bit more tenderly this time.

I sighed in content.

"Lily?"

"Yes?"

"Do you want to go to Hogsmeade with me next weekend?"

"I'd love to." I smiled and leaned into his shoulder.

**The end of the chapter! I hope you like it as much as I liked writing it. Read&Review!And thank you again. Ta!**


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